biological molecules B Flashcards
(40 cards)
What are important molecules that carry information?-
~ Deoxyribonucleic acid(DNA)
~ Ribonucleic acid(RNA)
what does a nucleotide consist of?
-phosphate
-pentose sugar
-base ( nitrogen containing)
What bond does a condensation reaction between two nucleotides form?
Phosphodiester bond
how do polynucleotides form?
condensation reactions between nucleotides which form strong phosphodiester bonds
state the role of DNA in living organisms
-base sequence of genes codes for functional RNA and amino acid sequence of polypeptides
-genetic information determines inherited characteristics
relate the structure of DNA to its functions
-sugar phosphate backbone and many H-bonds provide stability
-long molecule stores lots of genetic information
-helix is compact for storage in nucleus
-base sequence of triplets codes for amino acids
-double stranded for semi-conservative replication
-complementary base pairing for accurate replication
-weak H-bonds break so strands separate for semi-conservative replication
what is the DNA nucleotide structure ?
-phosphate
-deoxyribose sugar
-base
what are the bases in DNA?
A-adenine
T- thymine
C- cytosine
G- guanine
What bond is between bases when two DNA polynucleotides strands join together?
hydrogen bonds
What are the complementary base pairings in DNA?
-adenine+thymine
-cytosine+ guanine
If there was 33% of adenine, how much of thymine would there be and why?
-33%
-there are always equal amounts of a+t and c+g
how many hydrogen bonds are there between A and T?
two
how many hydrogen bonds are there between C and G?
three
What is the RNA nucleotide structure?
-phosphate
-ribose sugar
-base
what are the bases in RNA?
A-adenine
U- uracil
C-cytosine
G-guanine
What are the complementary base pairings in RNA?
- adenine+uracil
-cytosine+guanine
what is the difference between DNA and RNA?
DNA
-double stranded
-deoxyribose sugar
-bases: A,T,C,G
-long
RNA
-single stranded
-ribose sugar
-bases: A,U,C,G
-relatively short
what does mRNA do?
-transfers genetic information from DNA to the ribosomes
what does tRNA do?
brings amino acids to the ribosomes
who were the two scientists who discovered the structure of DNA and their model of DNA double helix
watson and crick
why is DNA replication describes as semiconservative ?
-strands from original DNA molecule act as a template
-new DNA molecule contains 1 old strand and 1 new strand
outline the process of semiconservative DNA replication.
1.DNA helicase breaks H-bonds between pairs
2.each strand acts as a template
3. free nucleotides from nuclear sap attach to exposed bases by complementary base pairing
4. DNA polymerase catalyses condensation reactions that join adjacent nucleotides on new strand
5.H-bonds reform
Use your knowledge of enzyme action to suggest why DNA polymerase
moves in opposite directions along DNA strands
-DNA has antiparallel strands
-So shapes / arrangements of nucleotides on two ends are different
-DNA polymerase is an enzyme with a specific shaped active site
-So can only bind to substrate with complementary shape (phosphate end of developing strand
describe the Medellin-Stahl experiment (semi-conservative replication)
- Bacteria were grown in a medium containing heavy isotope 15N for many generations.
- Some bacteria were moved to a medium containing light isotope 14N. Samples were extracted after 1 & 2 cycles of DNA replication.
- Centrifugation formed a pellet. Heavier DNA (bases made from 15N) settled closer to bottom of tube.