W1-3 Comprehension Quiz Flashcards
Define Adenine
One of the 4 nitrogen bases associated with DNA. It is a purine that consists of 2 rings and matches with Thymine (AT) with 2 hydrogen bonds. It’s the weaker of the bases.
Define Allele
Different versions of a gene (normal or mutated)
Define Amino Acids
compounds found in living cells. Ex: oxygen, carbon, and hydrogen and nitrogent join together and form proteins.
Define Anneal
To attach. Example, primers anneal to DNA strands during PCR
Define Autosome
chromosomes 1-22 for humans. The non-sex chromosomes
Define Base Pairs
In the DNA structure, base pairs are AT or GC. Base pairs is how DNA is measured. (ex. 30 bps long means 30 base pairs). FUN FACT : It takes 10 base pairs to make a turn in the DNA double helix
Define Centromere
The “pinched” region along the chromosome that separates it into two arms. The can be located in the middle of the chromosome, or can be situated closer to the end of the chromosomes. The centromere is composed of a protein belt that functions as an attachment site for pulling two chromosomes apart during cell division
Define Condensed Chromosomes
DNA that has been tightly packed by condensin and resembles an X.
Define Condensin
The additional packing and coiling. A protein that helps DNA condense into chromosomes before the start of cell division.
Define Covalent Bond
A chemical bond that involves the sharing of electron pairs between atoms. These electron pairs are known as shared pairs or bonding pairs, and the stable balance of attractive and repulsive forces between atoms, when they share electrons, is known as covalent bonding.
Define Crossing Over
When chromosomes overlap, genetic material from one chromosome can trade places with genetic material from the other.
Define Cytosine
One of the 4 nitrogen bases associated with DNA. It is a pyrimidine that consists of 1 ring and matches with Guanine with 3 hydrogen bonds.
Define Denature
A process by which DNA double strands separate into single strands. This generally happens at very high temperatures.
Define Diploid
A cell with two chromosome copies.
Define Duplicated Chromosomes
The X-like structure that we commonly associate with chromosomes is actually a duplicated chromosome, where the chromosome has been copied and the two copies are held together at the centromere.
Define Exons
Remaining stretches of a DNA sequence that are spliced together and sent off to make proteins. They are the expressed parts. These sequences are called exons because they are the expressed sequence.
Define Expression
When a gene has been activated or turned on so its protein product is made.
Define Gametes
Sperm and Egg cells. A mature haploid male or female germ cell that is able to unite with another of the opposite sex in sexual reproduction to form a zygote.
Gene
The short sequence of DNA that carries the sequence information to make the many proteins needed by the cell. It shows our traits
Guanine
One of the 4 nitrogen bases associated with DNA. It is a purine that consists of 2 rings and matches with Cytosine with 3 hydrogen bonds.
Haploid
A cell with only one set of chromosomes. An egg or a sperm is an example of a human haploid cell.
Define Helicase
The enzyme that unwinds and separates DNA during replication and creates replication forks.
Define Histone
The process of being tightly packed and folded
Define Homologous chromosomes
Non sex chromosomes