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Bio A-level > Unit 1 Biological Molecules (Nucleic Acids) > Flashcards

Unit 1 Biological Molecules (Nucleic Acids) Flashcards

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1
Q

What are 2 main types of nucleic acids?

A

DNA and RNA

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2
Q

What DNA stand for?

A

Deoxyribonucleic Acid

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3
Q

What is the role of DNA?

A

Genetic information carrying molecule.

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4
Q

What living organisms do DNA range from?

A

DNA ranges from single-celled to multicellular organisms.

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5
Q

What does DNA make in relation to the cell?

A

DNA’s code tells the cell what to do and what proteins to make.

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6
Q

What is the genome?

A

The entire genetic content within an organism.

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7
Q

Where in eukaryotes is DNA mainly found within?

A

The nucleus

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8
Q

What are 2 other places which contain minimal amounts of DNA?

A

The mitochondria and chloroplasts

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9
Q

What is different about the DNA found in prokaryotes?

A

The DNA is not enclosed within a membranous envelope.

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10
Q

What does RNA stand for?

A

Ribonucleic Acid

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11
Q

What is the Role of RNA?

A

RNA is mostly involved in synthesising proteins.

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12
Q

What structures are formed from RNA?

A

Ribosomes

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13
Q

What is the role of Ribosomes?

A

Protein Builders of the cell

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14
Q

Does DNA leave the nucleus?

A

Never

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15
Q

How does DNA transfer genetic material to outside the nucleus then?

A

DNA uses messenger RNA to transfer genetic material to the rest of the cell.

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16
Q

What is mRNA?

A

Messenger RNA

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17
Q

Why does mRNA leave the nucleus?

A

mRNA leaves the nucleus so it can transfer genetic information to ribosomes.

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18
Q

After mRNA entering the nucleus what does it make?

A

Proteins

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19
Q

Nucleic acids carry what?

A

The cell’s genetic code.

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20
Q

What monomers are both DNA and RNA made up of?

A

Both made up of nucleotides.

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21
Q

What do nucleotides join together to form?

A

Polynucleotides

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22
Q

What do polynucleotides make up to form?

A

Nucleic acids

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23
Q

What does a general nucleotide consist of?

A

A pentose sugar, nitrogen containing organic base and a phosphate group

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24
Q

The condensation reaction between 2 nucleotides forms what bond?

A

A phosphodiester bond

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25
Q

What groups are involved with the condensation reaction between 2 nucleotides?

A

The phosphate group of one nucleotide and the sugar group on another.

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26
Q

What are the 3 main components of a DNA Nucleotide?

A

A deoxyribose sugar
A phosphate group
An organic base

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27
Q

What are the 3 main components of a RNA Nucleotide?

A

A ribose sugar
A phosphate group
An organic base

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28
Q

What are the 4 organic bases for DNA?

A

Adenine, Thymine, Cytosine, Guanine

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29
Q

What are the 4 organic bases for RNA?

A

Adenine, Guanine, Uracil, Cytosine

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30
Q

What is the shape of DNA?

A

Double Helix

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31
Q

Describe a molecule of DNA?

A

A DNA molecule is a double helix with 2 polynucleotide chains held together by hydrogen bonds between specific complementary base.

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32
Q

What is different in the structure between DNA and RNA?

A

RNA is made up of only one polynucleotide.

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33
Q

Where do the sugar and the phosphate lie on the DNA molecule?

A

On the outside of the helix

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34
Q

What do the sugar and the phosphate form together?

A

The backbone of the DNA molecule

35
Q

Where do the nitrogenous bases lie on the helix?

A

The nitrogenous bases lie on he inside of the helix

36
Q

What bonds hold the base pairs together?

A

Hydrogen bonds

37
Q

Why is RNA a relatively short molecule?

A

RNA is a relatively short molecule because it only has 1 polypeptide chain

38
Q

What is RNA comprised of and what are they linked by?

A

RNA is comprised of ribonucleotides that are linked by phosphodiester bonds

39
Q

What are the 2 complementary base pairs in DNA?

A

Adenine and Thymine
Guanine and Cytosine

40
Q

If there are 2 complementary base pairs what can that mean for the number of bases that are in DNA?

A

The A and T bases as well as the G and C bases are always identical

41
Q

What is the base complementary rule?

A

The DNA strands have to be complementary to each other given that the base pairs are on opposite sides of the strands

42
Q

If the sequence of one strand is AATTGGCC what is the other complementary strand?

A

TTAACCGG

43
Q

What is the definition of base pairing?

A

Base pairing holds 2 DNA polynucleotides together by hydrogen bonds

44
Q

A single polynucleotide chain is held together by what?

A

Phosphodiester bonds between the nucleotides

45
Q

How are the 2 polynucleotide chains antiparallel?

A

Both strands are being created in opposite directions

46
Q

What are the 2 complementary base pairs in RNA?

A

Adenine and Uracil as well as Guanine and Cytosine

47
Q

What is formed when a cell divides?

A

2 daughter cells

48
Q

What does the cell have to do before it divides and Why?

A

It must duplicate its DNA so that when both daughters are formed they can inherit the full set of DNA

49
Q

During Cell Replication what happens to each of the 2 polynucleotide strands?

A

The 2 polynucleotide strands are used as a new template from which new strands are copied

50
Q

After replication how and what is the one new DNA made up of?

A

The new DNA is made up of one original polynucleotide strand and a new complementary strand

51
Q

What is DNA replication also known as?

A

The semi conservative process

52
Q

Why is the DNA replication known as the semi conservative process?

A

As one original strand is conserved during the process

53
Q

What is the 1st step of the DNA Replication process?

A

DNA Helicase binds to DNA and breaks down the hydrogen bonds between the 2 strands which allows the DNA helix to unwind and allows the strands to separate

54
Q

What is the DNA Helicase?

A

The DNA Helicase is a type of enzyme used to break down the DNA strand

55
Q

What is the 2nd step of the DNA Replication process?

A

The free floating nucleotides form hydrogen bonds with the complementary bases.
Each strand is used to form complementary strands

56
Q

What is the 3rd step of the DNA Replication process?

A

DNA Polymerase forms Phosphodiester bonds between the nucleotides and 2 new DNA strands are synthesised

57
Q

What is DNA Polymerase?

A

DNA Polymerase is a DNA enzyme that is used to assemble nucleotides together

58
Q

How are the carbon atoms of a sugar molecule numbered? (DNA Sugar molecule)

A

They are numbered from 1 to 5

59
Q

How can the 1st carbon atom of a DNA sugar molecule be also named as?

A

The one prime

60
Q

Explain how a carbon 5 and carbon 3 Phosphodiester linkage is formed?

A

The phosphate residue is attached to the hydroxyl group of the 5th carbon of the sugar as well as the 3rd carbon on the sugar of another nucleotide.

61
Q

Which way will the 5th carbon and 3rd carbon face on a DNA strand?

A

The 5th carbon will face one direction of the DNA strand while the 3rd carbon will face the opposite direction of the same DNA strand

62
Q

What reaction does DNA Polymerase catalyse and between what?

A

DNA Polymerase catalyses the condensation reaction of between the nucleotides in a DNA strand

63
Q

What bonds does DNA Polymerase allow to form between adjacent nucleotides?

A

Phosphodiester bonds between the adjacent nucleotides

64
Q

In 1953, which 2 scientists founded that specific base pairing involved a way in copying sequences of genetic information?

A

Watson and Crick

65
Q

Who were the 2 other scientists that confirmed the Semi-conservative replication idea?

A

Meselson and Stahl

66
Q

What investigation did Meselson and Stahl conduct?

A

They grew E.coli for several generations in one medium containing a heavy isotope of 15N and another medium containing a light isotope of 14N.

67
Q

During their investigation what did Meselson and Stahl see?

A

That during replication, the nitrogen gets included into nitrogenous bases and eventually into DNA as well.

68
Q

Explain how Meselson and Stahl’s investigation worked? (1)

A

After the end of the first few generations the cells were harvested and the DNA was isolated and then centrifuged.

69
Q

Explain how Meselson and Stahl’s investigation worked? (2)

A

The centrifugation of the DNA formed Separate bands according to its density so the DNA grown in the heavy 15N formed a band lower down the centrifuge tube than the DNA grown in the light 14N.

70
Q

Explain how Meselson and Stahl’s investigation worked? (3)

A

Meselson and Stahl moved the E.coli from the 15N branch to a broth containing only 14N and so after one generation of growth the single band was found in the space between 14N and 15N.

71
Q

What did Meselson and Stahl’s investigation prove?

A

Meselson and Stahl’s investigation proved that semi-conservative mode of replication was possible

72
Q

(E*) Explain how DNA’s structure is linked to its function. Step 1

A

DNA is a large polymer consisting of a sugar-phosphate backbone which is twisted into a double-stranded helical shape

73
Q

(E*) Explain how DNA’s structure is linked to its function. Step 2

A

This helical structure provides strength and stability as well as acting to protect the bases and hydrogen bonds within

74
Q

(E*) Explain how DNA’s structure is linked to its function. Step 3

A

DNA is an extremely large molecule which allows it to store vast amounts of information along its length however the helix structure reduces its overall footprint so it is actually compact for a large molecule.

75
Q

(E*) Explain how DNA’s structure is linked to its function. Step 4

A

The primary structure of DNA gives rise to specific base sequences that allows genetic information to be stored.

76
Q

(E*) Explain how DNA’s structure is linked to its function. Step 5

A

This base sequences allows DNA Transcription to occur. The DNA is double-stranded which allows each strand to act as a template separately.

77
Q

(E*) Explain how DNA’s structure is linked to its function. Step 6

A

Complementary base pairing between A-T and C-G allow accurate replication that leads to identical copies being produced.

78
Q

(E*) Explain how DNA’s structure is linked to its function. Step 7

A

DNA has many hydrogen bonds which allow DNA to have stability and for DNA to be unzipped so strands are separate.

79
Q

(E*) What are 2 reasons why Mutations don’t always change the polypeptide sequence?

A

Mutation could be in non-coding DNA
The genetic code could be degenerative

80
Q

(E*) Explain some reasons why there might be DNA from cancer cells in this blood plasma.

A

When the cancer cells die they break open
This releases DNA into the blood plasma

81
Q

(E*) Suggest why control groups for cancer treatment are NOT given placebos.

A

Its unethical to not treat the cancer

82
Q

(E*) What is the difference in effects if there is a change on a gene on DNA as well RNA?

A

A change on a gene during protein synthesis can be easily repaired through RNA.
Whereas through DNA a gene is passed down from parent to daughter cells and other future generations

83
Q

(E*) Why is it that DNA not protein seemed to be the primary source of all heritable information?

A

The DNA and the protein were tagged with different isotopes and exposed to the host cell but only the DNA was transferred to the host.

84
Q

(E*) How is the genetic sequence arranged?

A

In triplets called codons where it is made up of 3 nucleic acids

Bio A-level (16 decks)

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