5. The Organization and Sequences of Cellular Genomes

Question 1

alternative splicing

Answer 1

The generation of different mRNAs by varying the pattern of pre-mRNA splicing.

Question 2

bioinformatics

Answer 2

The use of computational methods to analyze large amounts of biological data, such as genome sequences.

Question 3

CENP-A

Answer 3

centromeric H3

Question 4

centromere

Answer 4

A specialized chromosomal region that connects sister chromatids and attaches them to the mitotic spindle.

Question 5

chromatin

Answer 5

The fibrous complex of eukaryotic DNA and histone proteins.

Question 6

chromatosome

Answer 6

A chromatin subunit consisting of 166 base pairs of DNA wrapped around a histone core and held in place by a linker histone.

Question 7

DNA transposon

Answer 7

A transposable element that moves via a DNA intermediate.

Question 8

epigenetic inheritance

Answer 8

The transmission of information from parent to progeny that is not contained within the sequence of DNA.

Question 9

euchromatin

Answer 9

De-condensed, transcriptionally active interphase chromatin.

Question 10

gene

Answer 10

A functional unit of inheritance, corresponding to a segment of DNA that encodes a polypeptide or RNA Molecule.

Question 11

exon

Answer 11

A segment of a gene that is included in a spliced mRNA.

Question 12

gene family

Answer 12

A group of related genes that have arisen by duplication of a common ancestor.

Question 13

genome-wide association scan

Answer 13

A method of large-scale genome analysis used to identify genes responsible for inherited diseases.

Question 14

heterochromatin

Answer 14

Condensed, transcriptionally active chromatin.

Question 15

histone

Answer 15

Member of a family of proteins that package DNA in eukaryotic chromosomes.

Question 16

intron

Answer 16

A non-coding sequence that interrupts exons in a gene.

Question 17

kilobase

Answer 17

(kb) One thousand nucleotides or nucleotide base pairs

Question 18

kinetcochore

Answer 18

A specialized structure consisting of proteins attached to a centromere that mediates the attachment and movement of chromosomes along the mitotic spindle.

Question 19

LINE (long interspersed element)

Answer 19

Member of a family of highly repeated retrotransposons in mammalian genomes.

Question 20

megabase (Mb)

Answer 20

One million nucleotides or nucleotide base pairs.

Question 21

nucleosomes

Answer 21

The basic structural unit of chromatin consisting of DNA wrapped around a histone core.

Question 22

nucleosome core particle

Answer 22

Particle containing 146 base pairs of DNA wrapped around an octamer consisting of two molecules each of histones H2A, H2B, H3, and H4.

Question 23

open-reading frame

Answer 23

A stretch of nucleotide sequence that does not contain stop codons and can encode a polypeptide.

Question 24

processed pseudogene

Answer 24

A pseudogene that has arisen by reverse transcription of mRNA.

Question 25

pseudogene

Answer 25

A non-functional gene copy.

Question 26

retrotransposition

Answer 26

Movement of a transposable element via reverse transcription of an RNA intermediate.

Question 27

retrotransposon

Answer 27

A transposable element that moves via reverse transcription of an RNA intermediate.

Question 28

retrovirus-like element

Answer 28

A retrotransposon that is structurally similar to a retrovirus.

Question 29

RNA splicing

Answer 29

The joining of exons in a precursor RNA molecule.

Question 30

satellite DNA

Answer 30

Simple sequence repetitive DNA with a buoyant density differing from the bulk of genomic DNA.

Question 31

simple-sequence repeat

Answer 31

Member of a class of DNA sequences consisting of tandem arrays of thousands of compies of short sequences.

Question 32

SINE (short interspersed element)

Answer 32

Member of a family of highly repeated retrotransposons in mammalian genomes.

Question 33

systems biology

Answer 33

A new field of biology in which large-scale experimental approaches are combined with quantitative analysis and modeling to study complex biological systems.

Question 34

telomerase

Answer 34

A reverse transcriptase that synthesizes telomeric repeat sequences at the ends of chromosomes from its own RNA template.

Question 35

telomere

Answer 35

A repeat of simple-sequence DNA that maintains the ends of linear chromosomes.