Unit 2 - Genomes Flashcards
describe chromosome shape in bacterial and eukaryotic cells (2)
- bacterial chromosome is circular
- eukaryotic chromosome is linear
describe a characteristic of bacterial and eukaryotic cells (2)
- bacterial cells are haploid cells
- eukaryotic cells are diploid cells
haploid
- contain a single set of chromosomes (1 copy of DNA)
diploid
- contains a double set of chromosomes (2 copies of DNA)
describe DNA in bacterial and eukaryotic cells (2)
- DNA in both cells is double-stranded
- difference in packing between prokaryotes and eukaryotes is due to the difference in DNA structure and the vast differences in the amount of DNA (eukaryotes have far more in general)
nucleoid-associated proteins
- packing proteins in bacteria
- proteins do not wrap the DNA around themselves
histones
- packaging proteins in eukaryotes
- wrap DNA into a structure called nucleosomes, DNA is wrapped around histones
How do bacteria package their DNA
- combination of supercoiling and proteins to package their circular genome into a nucleoid
How is supercoiling achieved in bacteria? (3)
- (usually) by cutting one stand of the circular DNA, unwinding by a number of turns, and then resealing the DNA
- causes tension in DNA that is relieved by supercoiling, causing the entire genome to wind up into a smaller volume
- important because bacterial cells are generally small in size
supercoiling (3)
- refers to the winding/unwinding of DNA by topoisomerases (an enzyme) in cells to add strain to DNA
- sometimes all DNA packaging is referred to as “supercoiling” of DNA
- more important in bacteria
nucleoid
- in prokaryotes, a cell structure with multiple loops formed from supercoils of DNA
negative supercoils (2)
- supercoils that result from underwinding
- in most organisms, DNA is negatively supercoiled
positive supercoils
- supercoiling resulting from overwinding
How is DNA packed in eukaryotic cells (2)
- cells also have topoisomerase II enzymes and the DNA is usually supercoiled
- DNA is linear and each DNA molecule forms a single chromosome
describe the first level of packaging of DNA in eukaryotes (3)
- referred to as “beads on a string” where the nucleosomes are the beads and the DNA is the string
- also called a 10-nm fiber in reference to its diameter which is about 5x the diameter of the DNA double helix
- these are the areas of the genome that are transcriptionally active
describe the second level of packaging in DNA in eukaryotes (2)
- chromatin is more tightly coiled forming a 30-nm fiber
- as chromosomes in the nucleus condense in preparation for cell division, each chromosome becomes progressively shorter and thicker as it coils onto itself to form a 300-nm coil, a 700-nm coil and finally a 1400-nm condensed chromosome
chromatin (3)
- formed when huge numbers of nucleosomes are formed and collect together along a DNA strand
- DNA-protein complex formed by packaging of DNA with proteins
- found in eukaryotes
chromatids/chromasomes
- coiled up chromatin in a dense form