Chapter 4 Flashcards
(60 cards)
Genetic code
DNA nucleotides –> amino acids in protein
amino acid specified by one or more nucleotide triplet (codon)
(3rd base usually varies)
code is universal

What is a codon?
three bases (triplet)
64 codons
61 code for amino acids
UAG, UAA, UGA: stop codons
AUG=start codon; methionine
–protein synthesis begins with methionine (Met) in eukaryotes and formylmethionine (fmet) in prokaryotes
20 amino acids
What is a point mutation?
single nucleotide change in gene
a) transition: point mutation that replaces purine-pyrimidine pair with a different purine-pyrimidine pair
b) transversion: point mutation that replace purine-pyrimidine base pair with a pyrimidine-purine base pair
ex. silent, missense, nonesense
What is a silent mutation?
point mutation
new codon specifies same amino acid
no effect on protein
usually in 3rd position (wobble position) of codon

What is a missense mutation?
point mutation
new codon specifies different amino acid
possible decrease in protein function; variable effects

What is an example of a missense mutation leading to pathology?
Sickle cell anemia
ß-globin at position 6 (A–>T)
glutamine (-) –> valine (hydrophobic)
other examples: PKU, maple syrup
What is a nonsense mutation?
point mutation
new codon is stop codon
protein shorter than normal, usually nonfunctional

What is an exmple of a nonsense mutation leading to pathology?
few pathology because usually lethal
Hemophilia: nonsense mutation leads to factor VIII deficiency because
What is a frameshift mutation?
addition or deletion of base(s)
reading frame shifts–all AA after deleted NT are incorrect
mainly lethal
additoin or deletion of multiple of 3 bases doesn’t cause frameshift

What is an example of a frameshift mutation that causes a pathology?
Tay Sach’s
4 nucleotide insertion
leads to defect in hexosaminidase A
splicing impaired
high incidence in Jews
What is a 5’ splice site (donor) or 3’ splice site (acceptor) mutation?
variable protein effects ranging from addition or deletion of a few amino acids to deletion of an entire exon
–splicesomes:
*may delete nucleotides from adjacent exon
*leave nucleotides of intron in processed DNA
*use next normal upstream or downstream splice site, delteing exon from processed mRNA
ex. Tay-Sachs, ß-thalassemia, Gaucher disease

What is a triplet (trinucleotide) repeat expansion?
expansion in coding regions cause protein product to be longer than normal and unstable
Disease often shows anticipation pedigree
ex. Hunington’s disease (CAG repeats), fragile X syndrone, myotonic dystrophy, spinobulbar muscular atrophy, Freidreich’s ataxia

Describe Huntington’s disease.
autosomal dominant disorder
onset=43-48 years old
symptoms appear gradually and worsen for 15 years until death
First signs: Mood disturbance, impaired memory, hyperreflexia
Later symptoms: abnormal gait, chorea, dystonia, dementia, dysphagia
juvenile onset (<10 years): more severe; defective allele inherted paternally
What is anticipation?
number of repeasts of triplet repeat expansion increases with successive generations and correlates with increasing severity and decreasing age of onset
What are large segment deletions?
large segments of DNA delted from a chromosome during unequal crossover in meoisis
ex. ß thalassemia (delete œ-globin gene from chromosome 16)
ex. Cri-du-chat (terminal deletion of short arm of chromosome 5)
mental retardation, microcephaly, wide set eyes, kitten-like cry
What is ß-thalassemia?
Two genes for beta chain of hemoglobin
deficiency of ß-globin protein
primarily in Mediterranean areas
abnormality of RBC in ß-thalassemia may protect against malaria
splenomegaly becuase clearing of damaged red cells
excessive activity of bone marrow produces bone deformities of face and other areas
long bones of arms and legs are abnormally weak and fracture easily
treament: blood transfusions, but iron overload is consequence
caused by:
- gene deletions
- mutations that slwo transcriptional process
- translational defects (nonsense, frameshift mutations)
- ß-globin mRNA processing (splice site mutation at consensus sequences)
mutation in intron 1 create new splice site so very long mRNA
What is amino acid activation?
tRNAs enter cytoplasm and combine with amino acid at 3’ end via high energy bond
(bond later supplies energy to make peptide bond)
–each amino acid is activated by a different aminoacyl tRNA synthetase
Two high energy bonds from ATP are required for process

What errors occur with aminoacyl tRNA synthetase?
aminoacyl tRNA synthetase releases incorrect paried product and no mechanisms during translation to detect error and incorrect amino acid introduced into protein
What is a peptide bond? What is the enzyme that forms it?
Alpha-carboxyl group of one amino acid in the P site and alpha–amino group of another amino acid in the A site of the ribosome
Proteins are synthesized amino to carboxyl terminus
peptidyl transferase (ribozyme)

What is interesting about prokaryotic translation?
prokaryotes can begin translating the mRNA before RNA polymerase cmopletes transcription because transcription and translation both take place in the cytoplasm
What are the steps of translation and what are the protein factors required for each step?
initation (IF), elongation (EF), termination (release factors)
GTP required

Describe initation in prokaryotes and eukaryotes.
Prokaryotes:
small ribosomal subunit (16s rRNA) binds to mRNA (Shine-Dalgarno sequence in the 5’ untranslated region of mRNA
initiator tRNA carries fmet
Eukaryotes:
small subunit (40s rRNA) binds to 5’ cap and slides down message to first AUG
initiator tRNA carries Met
Both:
large subunit binds

What is the P and A site of the ribosome?
peptidyle site (P site): where (f)met-tRNA intially binds; binding site for growing peptide chain
aminoacyl site (A site): binds new incoming tRNA molecules



