Unit 2 - DNA

Question 1

What is DNA? What are the three roles of DNA?

Answer 1

DNA is a molecule inside the cells that contains genetic information responsible for the development and function of an organism. The three roles of DNA are genetics, immunology, and structural.

Question 2

Be comfortable discussing and identifying the structure of DNA (what it’s made out of).

Answer 2

DNA is made up of four building blocks called nucleotides: adenine (A), thymine (T), guanine (G), and cytosine (C). The nucleotides attach to each other (A with T, and G with C) to form chemical bonds called base pairs, which connect the two DNA strands. DNA also looks like a double helix.

Question 3

Know the components that make up nucleotides.

Answer 3

Nucleotides are made up of phosphates, deoxyribose sugars, and nitrogen containing bases.

Question 4

Know all of the possible nitrogenous bases, which category they fall into (Purines or Pyrimidines), and the base pairing rules (aka which bases bond together).

Answer 4

The possible nitrogenous bases are Adenine (purines), Thymine (pyrimidines), Guanine (pyrimidines), and Cytosine (purines).

The bases Adenine and Thymine bond together.
The bases Guanine and Cytosine bond together.

Question 5

What is different about the structure of RNA (from DNA)?

Answer 5

The differences between the structure of RNA vs. DNA are the following:
- The sugar in RNA is ribose instead of deoxyribose found in DNA
- RNA is generally single stranded vs. DNA which is double stranded
- RNA contains uracil in place of thymine

Question 6

Be able to describe and identify the three different types of RNA.

Answer 6

The three different types of RNA are the following
- tRNA (transfer RNA)
- mRNA (messenger RNA)
- rRNA (ribosomal RNA)

Question 7

What is DNA replication and why is DNA replicated? What cellular process is it involved/ associated with?

Answer 7

DNA replication is the process in which DNA is replicated. Replication is an essential process because, whenever a cell divides, the two new daughter cells must contain the same genetic information, or DNA, as the parent cell. This is essential for the growth and development of an organism.

The cellular process it’s involved / associated with is mitosis.

Question 8

How is DNA replicated? What are the steps? What enzymes are involved?

Answer 8

DNA is replicated through those simple steps.
1. The DNA helicase unzips the DNA and breaks it into two separate strands.
2. The DNA is then translated using RNA
3. Finally the two new DNA strands are assembled and created.

Question 9

We talked about and modeled two different processes. What is the difference between DNA replication and protein synthesis?

Answer 9

Protein synthesis is the process of creating protein molecules. DNA replication is the synthesis of a new DNA molecule from an existing DNA molecule.

Question 10

What does “protein synthesis” mean?

Answer 10

Protein synthesis is the process in which cells make proteins.

Question 11

How does protein synthesis work? Know how to describe and work through the steps of transcription and translation.

Answer 11

In eukaryotic cells, transcription takes place in the nucleus. During transcription, DNA is used as a template to make a molecule of messenger RNA (mRNA). The molecule of mRNA then leaves the nucleus and goes to a ribosome in the cytoplasm, where translation occurs. During translation, the genetic code in mRNA is read and used to make a protein.

Question 12

Specifically, you should be able to define “Transcription” and carry out an example of transcription given a DNA template.

Answer 12

Transcription is when DNA is used as a template to make a molecule of messenger RNA (mRNA). An example of this is in building DNA activity.

Question 13

You should also be able to define “Translation” and carry out an example of translation given a DNA template or an mRNA template.

Answer 13

Translation is when the genetic code in mRNA is read and used to make a protein.

Question 14

What is a codon? What is a triplet? What is an anticodon?

Answer 14

A codon is a sequence of three nucleotides which together form a unit of genetic code in a DNA or RNA molecule.

A triplet is a group of three

An anticodon is a sequence of three nucleotides forming a unit of genetic code in a transfer RNA molecule, corresponding to a complementary codon in messenger RNA.

Question 15

Be comfortable reading the Codon Wheel to determine amino acid sequences from mRNA.

Answer 15

Use your codon wheel in your binder

Question 16

What can go wrong in the process of protein synthesis? We talked about two main ideas.

Answer 16

The two main things that can go wrong in protein synthesis are transcription errors and translation errors.

Question 17

If given an insertion, deletion or substitution, understand how this may or may not impact the outcome of a message/ the formation of a protein

Answer 17

When given an insertion, deletion, or substitution, this can sometimes change the outcome of the message and formation of a protein but it all depends on if the codon changes or if it stays the same despite the change.

Question 18

What are proteins? What are they made out of? Understand generally how structure impacts function.

Answer 18

Proteins are large molecules that play a vital role in the body. They are made up of amino acids.

Question 19

Know some examples of protein’s roles in our body and how it relates to nutrition.

Answer 19

Protein helps repair and build your body’s tissues. It drives metabolic reactions, maintains pH and fluid balance, and keeps the immune system strong. It also transports and stores nutrients and can act as an energy source.

Question 20

What are the four biomolecules? Know their monomers (building blocks) and their chemical structures.

Answer 20

The four biomolecules, their monomers, and chemical structures are the following:
- Carbohydrates (sugar) CHO
- Lipids (glycerol and fatty acid) CHO
- Protein (amino acids) CHON
- Nucleic Acid (nucleotides) CHONP

Question 21

Know biological examples of each biomolecule and which foods are a good source of each.

Answer 21

Carbohydrates: starch, fibers, sugar, and cellulose are all biological examples. Good foods for carbohydrates are bread, pasta, etc.

Lipids: Lipids are molecules that contain hydrocarbons and make up the building blocks of the structure and function of living cells. Good foods for lipids are cheese, fish, nuts, meat, etc.

Proteins: Spider silk, hemoglobin, keratin are all biological examples. Good foods for protein are beef, salmon, beans, chicken, etc.

Nucleic acids: DNA or RNA are biological examples. Good foods for nucleic acids are seafood, nuts, vegetables, etc.

Question 22

What does it mean to be an organic molecule? What elements are essential to life?

Answer 22

Scientists generally define a molecule as organic when it contains not only carbon, but also at least one other element. Typically, that element is hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen or sulfur.

The main elements essential to life are carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.

Question 23

Understand what dehydration synthesis and hydrolysis mean. Be able to identify if a chemical reaction is one or the other type.

Answer 23

Dehydration synthesis is the creation of larger molecules from smaller monomers where a water molecule is released.

Hydrolysis is a chemical reaction of the interaction of chemicals with water, leading to the decomposition of both the substance and water

(There is a worksheet about this in your binder)

Question 24

Know which indicator test is used to determine the presence or absence of each biomolecule. Understand take away’s from our biomolecule lab.

Answer 24

Benedict’s Solution (to test for Monosaccharides)
Lugol’s (Iodine) Solution (to test for Polysaccharides)
Biuret’s Solution (to test for amino acids)
Grease Spot Test (to test for lipids)