Chapter 3: Nucleic Acids + Transcription

Question 1

4 Functions of Nucleic Acids

Answer 1

1. Forms LONG LINEAR polymers for encoding, transmitting and expressing genetic information
2. Energy exchange: ATP + GTP
3. Metabolic regulation
4. Catalytic

Question 2

What is the Central Dogma of Biology/DNA?

Answer 2

DNA is translated into RNA which is transcribed into proteins

Question 3

Where does translation occur in a eukaryotic cell? Transcription? prokaryotes?

Answer 3

Euk: Translation: nucleus
Transcription: Cytoplasm by ribosomes
Prok: both cytoplasm

Question 4

Transformation

Answer 4

the conversion of cells from one state to another

ex) nonvirulent to virulent

Question 5

mutation

Answer 5

any change in genetic material to the nucleotide sequence of a gene

Question 6

What are nucleotides 3 components?

Answer 6

5-carbon sugar, base (AGTC), one or more phosphate group (Ionized)

Question 7

Difference between a nucleoside and nucleotide

Answer 7

Nucleoside: sugar and base w/o phosphate group
Nucleotide: has one of more phosphate groups

Question 8

What are the prime numbers on a strand of nucleotides?

Answer 8

5 prime, top phosphate end

3 prime, bottom hydroxyl on sugar

Question 9

Who were the scientists that discovered the structure of DNA?

Answer 9

Charles Watson and Crick

Question 10

What does complementary mean?

Answer 10

Base pairs line up equally. Equal number of opposite bases

Question 11

How does DNA coil itself and what helps it?

Answer 11

DNA is wrapped around proteins called histones which are them supercoiled to create chromatin. Only happens during cell division. Helped by enzyme topoisomerase

Question 12

RNA World Hypothesis

Answer 12

RNA was probably the original storage molecule for cell info before DNA

Question 13

3 Functions of RNA

Answer 13

catalyst, DNA replication, transcription and translation

Question 14

Difference in DNA and RNA sugar

Answer 14

DNA: deoxyribose
RNA: ribose (has 2 hydroxyl groups on bottom of sugar)

Question 15

RNA bases

Answer 15

A, U (uracil), G, C

Question 16

Anti parallel

Answer 16

DNA strands run opposite each other from 5’-3’ and 3’-5’

Question 17

5’ end of DNA and RNA

Answer 17

DNA: monophosphate
RNA: triphosphate (ATP)

Question 18

How is transcription initiated?

Answer 18

Promoter (TATA box) TATAAA

Question 19

RNA Transcript

Answer 19

RNA sequence synthesized from DNA template

Question 20

Where does the first nucleotide to be transcribed? Why?

Answer 20

25 bases away from promoter; to make room for RNA polymerase (Pol II) and Transcript factors

Question 21

When does transcription end?

Answer 21

When it hits the terminator sequence

Question 22

Housekeeping gene

Answer 22

Continually transcribed gene because the cell always needs the protein

Question 23

What carries out promoter recognition on Prokaryotes? Eukaryotes?

Answer 23

Pro: sigma factor
Euk: transcript factor

Question 24

4 parts of Transcription bubble

Answer 24

Pol II, Transcript factors, Mediator complex, Transcriptional activator proteins bonded to enhancer sequence

Question 25

What happens when 2 RNA base pairs bond together?

Answer 25

2 phosphates pop pff creating pyrophosphate group (PPi). PPi gets cleaved into two separate phosphates Pi and Pi.

Question 26

What is the function of transcript factors?

Answer 26

help guide the Pol II to the binding site

Question 27

RNA-DNA dulex

Answer 27

where DNA and RNA attach

Question 28

Elongation

Answer 28

process in translation where AA's are added one by one to a growing peptide chain

Question 29

Monosystronic, Polysystronic

Answer 29

Euk: mono: codes for one protein Pro: poly: codes for more than one protein

Question 30

What must RNA go through after transcription?

Answer 30

Chemical modifications; pass through the nuclear membrane

Question 31

Introns and Exons

Answer 31

Introns: pieces of data that code for nothing Eons: data that codes for something

Question 32

Nuclease

Answer 32

enzyme that degrades loose nucleotides

Question 33

What two things help stabilize mRNA?

Answer 33

polyadenylation on 3' end (repeating A bases) and the 5' cap (upside down 7-methylguanosine)

Question 34

RNA splicing

Answer 34

cutting out of introns and reconnection of exons by splicosome

Question 35

Alternate splicing

Answer 35

One strand of RNA being spiced into two different ones that code for 2 different proteins. More efficient for the body

Question 36

Ribosomal RNA (rRNA)

Answer 36

found in all ribosomes that aid translation

Question 37

Transfer RNA (tRNA)

Answer 37

carries individualized amino acids for use in translation

Question 38

Small Nuclear RNA (snRNA)

Answer 38

found in eukaryotes; used for splicing, polyadenylation, and and other things in nucleus

Question 39

Small regulatory RNA (srRNA) | 2 of them!

Answer 39

microRNA: cleave, disable, inhibit translation | small interfering RNA: double stranded RNA that destroys single stranded RNA