Unit 6 Flashcards
In the early 1900’s what two things did scientists decide chromosomes were made of?
-DNA and protein
Originally, what molecule did scientists think was the hereditary material in the nucleus? Why?
-protein because it was more complex and built of many more amino acids (dna-4 and protein 20)
Explain Fredrick Griffith’s transformation experiment in 1928.
Griffing heat killed S cells and mixed them with living R cells that caused the mouse to die. Something in this mix was being transferred to the R cells to kill the mouse. Independently the R cells and the heat killed S cells did not kill the mouse but the alive S cells did.
In 1944, Avery, McCarty and McLeod announced the transforming factor in Griffith’s experiment was _________.
DNA
Hershey and Chase worked with bacteriophages. What is a bacteriophage? What were they testing in their experiment?
Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria
-They were testing that DNA is the genetic material of a phage(bacteriophage)
(whether phages work by transmitting their DNA or protein)
Why was it important the DNA was tagged with phosphorus and the protein was tagged with sulfur?
DNA has phosphorus and does not have sulfur
Protein has sulfur but not phosphorus
What were Erwin Chargaff’s findings? Why were his findings significant in the structure of DNA?
- purines and pyramids go together
- percentage of Adenine equal to thymine (A and T are equal) (C and G are equal)
- DNA composition varies from one species to the next
What is Rosalind Franklin known for? How was this significant to the structure of DNA?
produced a picture of the DNA molecule with X-ray crystallography. She found that a DNA has the shape of double helix (helical) Made of two strands
-the width of strands (help figure out that A goes with T and so on)
Who built the first model of DNA? What ideas from other scientists (name at least two) led them to be certain of which nitrogenous bases are bonded together.
Watson and Crick
-the width of bases and
What is the type of bond that holds the nitrogenous bases together? Why Is it important that this type of bonding mechanism is used in DNA?
Hydrogen bond
-They are weak so they break easily allowing for new dna to be build
What is meant by the “semiconservative model” of DNA replication?
Half new half old dna
What 3 things comprise a nucleotide? What molecules make up the backbone of DNA?
nitrogenous base,-phosphate group, and deoxyribose sugar,
-make up the backbone of dna-phosphate group, and deoxyribose sugar,
What is the difference between a purine and a pyrimidine?
Purine-too wide (2 carbon rings)
Pyramidene- too narrow (1 carbon ring)
What is the name of the site where DNA replication begins?
Origins of replication
Distinguish between origin(s) of replication in eukaryotes and prokaryotes.
In eukaryotes there are many but prokaryotes is only one
replication bubble for both
Which cell type replicates DNA faster, prokaryotes or eukaryotes?
Prokaryotes
What is the name of the Y-shaped region at the end of a replication bubble where new DNA strands are elongating?
Replication fork- parental strands of DNA are being unwound
Describe what “antiparallel” means in terms of DNA structure.
- (their subunits run in opposite directions)
What direction does the DNA polymerase “read” the template strand?
3’-5’
What direction is the daughter strand synthesized? Why?
5’-3’
Differentiate between the leading strand and the lagging strand in DNA replication. What is an Okazaki fragment?
- Leading- continuous elongation
- Lagging-elongation happens in segments (Okazaki fragments= segments where elongation occurs)
What is needed for DNA polymerase to bind to in order to begin replication? Why is it necessary?
An RNA primer
What enzyme untwists the double helix and separates the template DNA strands at the replication fork?
Helicase
What does the single-strand binding protein (SSBP) do during replication?
Keep strands separated
What is the function of topoisomerase?
-relieves the strain caused by tight twisting ahead of the replication fork by breaking, swiveling, and rejoining DNA strand
What enzyme synthesizes the RNA primers?
primase
What enzyme is responsible for continually synthesizing new DNA during elongation in both the lagging and leading strands?
-DNA polymerase 3
What enzyme is responsible for removing the RNA primers and replacing them with DNA?
-DNA polymerase I
If the DNA template strand reads TACGGCAGTCTGA, what would the DNA polymerase put on the daughter strand?
ATGCCGTCAGACT
Which enzyme joins the DNA fragments together?
Ligase
What is responsible for “proofreading” the DNA strands?
DNA polymerase
What is mismatch repair? What is nucleotide excision repair?
Mismatch repair= other enzymes correct errors in base pairing
-nucleotide excision repair= a nuclease cuts out and replaces damaged stretches of DNA
What is a thymine dimer? What environmental factor has been known to cause thymine dimers on DNA?
When two thymes pair together and there’s a kick
cause-UV rays
What are telomeres? Why are they important?
chromosomal DNA molecules have special nucleotide sequences at their ends
What is telomerase? What is its function?
catalyzes the lengthening of telomeres in germ cells- under study as a target for
cancer therapies
-Lengthens telomeres to maintain long chromosomes when creating an offspring