Biology Molecules: Nucleic acid Flashcards
(32 cards)
What does DNA stand for
Deoxyribonucleic acid
What does RNA stand for?
Ribonucleic acid
Name bases
Nitrogen containing; adenine, thymine, guanine, cytosine or uracil
What is Deoxyribose
The pentose sugar in a nucleotide, unique to DNA
What’s a phosphate
A group that attaches to deoxyribose to form a polynucleotide
What’s the structure of a nucleotide
Comprised of deoxyribose, a phosphate group and nitrogen containing base
What’s a phosphodiester bond?
The bond formed between adjacent nucleotides
What’s a condensation reaction?
The removal of water to form a polynucleotide
Complimentary Base Pairing
Adenine bonding to Thymine/Uracil. Guanine bonding to Cytosine
Hydrogen Bonding
The bonds that join separate polynucleotide chains
What’s the structure of DNA
A double helix
What’s the structure of mRNA
Single Helix
The structure of mRNA
Single Helix
The structure of tRNA
Clover Shape
How is DNA Stable
The phosphodiester bond backbone protects the more chemically reactive bases. Hydrogen bonds allow for complimentary base pairing
DNA-Histone Complex
The wrapping of DNA around histone proteins
What is formed when the DNA-Histone complex forms coils, which then form loops to a compact structure
Chromosome
Function of DNA
To allow for protein synthesis, to allow for DNA replication, carries a large amount of genetic information
DNA Replication
The process which is semi-conservative
Semi-Conservative
Where half of the original DNA and half of the new DNA are formed
DNA Helicase
The enzyme that breaks down the hydrogen bonds between the two polynucleotide strands
Free Nucleotides
The new nucleotides that travel into the nucleus and form complimentary base pairs with the polynucleotide strand
DNA Polymerase
The enzyme that forms the phosphodiester bonds between the free nucleotides to make up the new half of the DNA
Structure of ATP
Consists of the nitrogen containing base Adenine, a ribose sugar and three phosphate groups
