Central Dogma of molecular biology Flashcards
(22 cards)
What is the central dogma of molecular biology?
Theory stating that genetic information flows only in one direction, from DNA, to RNA, to protein, or RNA directly to protein
What is DNA?
DNA is a chemical code made up on monomers – adenine, thymine, cytosine and guanine
What are the features of DNA?
- Two paired strands in a double helix
- Bases fit together by complementarity
How does DNA replicate?
DNA self-duplicates using semi-conservative replication
What is a gene?
A gene is a fragment of DNA that contains the information to code for a specific protein.
What is true of genes in humans?
- Only 1.5% (20,000) genes of the genome codes for proteins, the rest is non-coding DNA
What is a genome?
All of the genetic information contained in an organism e.g. all genes plus the DNA in-between
What is RNA?
RNA is a chemical message. The sugar structure in RNA is a ribose compared to deoxyribose in DNA
What is the sugar structure in DNA?
Deoxyribose
What are the RNA bases?
Adenine, URACIL, cytosine, guanine
What are the types of RNA?
- mRNA
- tRNA
- rRNA
- microRNA
- ncRNA
What is a transcriptome?
Set of all RNA molecules produced in a cell or tissue at a given time
What are proteins?
Functional units – they make up structures, control chemical reactions and carry signals
- They are large biomolecules
How/where are proteins made? and when?
Proteins are synthesised in ribosomes during the process of translation.
At the cell as and when they are needed
What is genetic code?
A series of triplets known as codons. These codons contain the information to tell a ribosome how to make a particular amino acid
What is proteome?
The full complement of proteins expressed by the genome of a cell a tissue or an organism at a specific time point
What is assumed of an increase in mRNA levels?
Assumption is that an increase in mRNA levels is because the protein is required (so increase mrna to help make more protein
How are proteins made from genes?
A gene is transcribed into primary RNA and then translated by complementarity –––> every RNA is turned into mRNA to make the protein
During splicing inions are cut out and exons are joined together to form mature mRNA
What is genetics?
Involves the study of specific and limited numbers of genes (traditionally, the study of hereditary)
What is genomics?
The study of the structure, function and diversity of genomes. Here we refer to the study of the genome (i.e at DNA level)
What are tools used in genetics?
Sanger sequencing and bioinformatics
What are tools for genomics?
Next generation sequencing and bioinformatics
