Unit 5 Protein Synthesis Vocabulary

Question 1

Protein synthesis

Answer 1

Process used to make proteins, which includes transcription and translation

Question 2

Transcription

Answer 2

Process of copying DNA into mRNA

Question 3

Translation

Answer 3

Process by which mRNA is used to make proteins

Question 4

Helicase

Answer 4

The enzyme that unwinds two DNA strands. (Use during transcription & DNA replication)

Question 5

RNA polymerase

Answer 5

An enzyme that is responsible for making RNA from a DNA template. (used during transcription)

Question 6

Ribosome

Answer 6

An organelle that serves as the site of protein synthesis (used during translation)

Question 7

Proteins

Answer 7

A biomolecule that performs many functions throughout organisms including providing structure and speeding up chemical reactions (enzymes)

Question 8

Amino Acids

Answer 8

The building blocks of proteins

Question 9

Nucleic acids

Answer 9

A biomolecule that stores and transmits genetic information used for protein synthesis (DNA & RNA)

Question 10

Nucleotide

Answer 10

The building blocks of nucleic acids consisting of a sugar, phosphate, and a nitrogenous base

Question 11

Adenine (A)

Answer 11

A Nitrogen Base - one of the fundamental components of nucleic acids. In DNA, it forms a base pair with Thymine. In RNA it pairs with Uracil.

Question 12

Thymine (T)

Answer 12

A nitrogen base only found in DNA. Pairs with Adenine.

Question 13

Cytosine (C)

Answer 13

A Nitrogen Base - one of the fundamental components of nucleic acids. In DNA and RNA it forms a base pair with Guanine.

Question 14

Guanine (G)

Answer 14

A Nitrogen Base - one of the fundamental components of nucleic acids. In DNA and RNA it forms a base pair with Cytosine

Question 15

Uracil (U)

Answer 15

A nitrogen base only found in RNA. Pairs with Adenine

Question 16

Codon

Answer 16

Sequence of three nitrogen bases in DNA or mRNA that codes for an amino acid

Question 17

mRNA (messenger RNA)

Answer 17

Coding strand of RNA that carries genetic information from the DNA to ribosomes in the cytoplasm

Question 18

rRNA (ribosomal RNA)

Answer 18

Non-coding strands of RNA that serves as the subunits of ribosomes

Question 19

tRNA (transfer RNA)

Answer 19

Non-coding strands of RNA that carry amino acids to protein-building ribosomes

Question 20

Anticodon

Answer 20

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 21

Mutation

Answer 21

Change in DNA sequence

Question 22

Gene mutation

Answer 22

A gene mutation is a permanent alteration in the DNA sequence that makes up a gene

Question 23

Substitution mutation

Answer 23

A mutation that exchanges one nitrogen base for another.

Question 24

Deletion mutation

Answer 24

A genetic mutation in which a part of a sequence of DNA is lost during DNA replication

Question 25

Insertion mutation

Answer 25

The addition of one or more nucleotide base pairs into a DNA sequence.

Question 26

Frameshift mutation

Answer 26

A genetic mutation caused by a deletion or insertion in a DNA sequence that shifts the way the sequence is read.

Question 27

Missense mutation

Answer 27

A form of point mutation resulting in a codon that codes for a different amino acid, and thus, causes the synthesis of a protein with an altered amino acid sequence during translation

Question 28

Nonsense mutation

Answer 28

A point mutation in a sequence of DNA that results in a premature stop codon, resulting in a non-functional protein product

Question 29

Silent mutation

Answer 29

A change in the sequence of nucleotide bases without a change in the amino acid or the function of the overall protein.