Chapter 3 Nucleic Acid And Encoding Biological Information

Question 1

Define mutation

Answer 1

A rare error that takes place during the DNA replication process

Question 2

What is RNA?

Answer 2

An intermediary molecule responsible for translation

Question 3

What is transcription?

Answer 3

Genetic information of a molecule is used as a template to generate a molecule of RNA

Question 4

Define gene expression

Answer 4

Production of a functional gene product

Question 5

Define translation

Answer 5

RNA is used as a code for the sequence of amino aids in a protein

Question 6

What is the purpose of DNA?

Answer 6

Stores genetic information
Transmits information
Easily and accurately replicated
Indirectly directs cellular activity

Question 7

What is a nucleotide?

Answer 7

DNA structural sub unit consists of a sugar, base and phosphate group
Sugar and phosphate group forms the back bone
Base gives the nucleotide it’s chemical identity

Question 8

What is a nucleoside?

Answer 8

A combination of a sugar and a base

Question 9

Define a phosphodiester bond

Answer 9

Is a C-O-P-O-C linkage that bonds the DNA together

Stable bond that resists heat and changes in PH

Question 10

Why are the major and minor grooves important?

Answer 10

Outside contours of the twisted double helix important for the proteins who interact with DNA to recognize a particular sequence

Question 11

What are the complimentary bases?

Answer 11

A to T requires two H-bonds

C to G requires one H-bonds

Question 12

What is base stacking?

Answer 12

Is the stabilizing force that occurs between the bases. Flat surfaces of the bases stick together away from the water molecule as they are hydrophobic

Question 13

What is the difference between eukaryotes and prokaryote DNA?

Answer 13

Prokaryote DNA is circular and eukaryote DNA is linear

Question 14

Define topoisomerases

Answer 14

Enzymes that cleave, partially unwind and reattach a DNA strand

Question 15

What is a chromatin and it’s associated histome?

Answer 15

DNA plus it’s associated proteins( histomes)

Histomes are proteins rich in (+) charged amino acids

Question 16

Define anti parallel

Answer 16

Oppositely oriented strands of DNA

Question 17

What are the main difference between DNA and RNA?

Answer 17

DNA : sugar is deoxyribose, bases are A,T,C,G, 5’ end is a monophosphate, size is very large, double stranded
RNA: sugar is ribose, bases are A, U, C, G, 5’ end is a triphosphate, size is smaller, with a single bond

Question 18

Define promoters

Answer 18

Regions where the RNA transcription begins

Question 19

Define terminator

Answer 19

Point where transcription ends

Question 20

What is a housekeeping gene?

Answer 20

A gene that is continuously transcribing

Question 21

Explain promoter recognition for prokaryotes and eukaryotes

Answer 21

Prokaryotes have a sigma factor and housekeeping genes and RNA polymers
Eukaryotes have general transcription factors, transcriptional activation proteins, mediation complex, RNA polymerase 2

Question 22

What is replication?

Answer 22

The copying process for DNA

Question 23

Identify the four bases of DNA

Answer 23

Ok

Question 24

Know the chemical structure of DNA

Answer 24

Ok

Question 25

How are the two complimentary base pairs held together in DNA?

Answer 25

H bonds

Question 26

Eukaryote DNA is a said to be what?

Answer 26

Linear