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HAEM > DNA and RNA definitions > Flashcards

DNA and RNA definitions Flashcards

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1
Q

define “anti-parallel”

A

alignment of 2 complementary strands of DNA where they are parallel to each other but oriented in opposite directions

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2
Q

define “chromatin”

A

complex of DNA, histones, & non-histone proteins found in the nucleus of eukaryotic cells
Materials of which chromosomes are made

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3
Q

define “deoxyribose nucleic acid”

A

a POLYMER formed from COVALENTLY LINKED (phosphodiester bonds) deoxyribonucleic monomers, which forms the basis of the genetic code

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4
Q

define “DNA ligase”

A

ENZYME that joins (ligates) Okazaki fragments together to form the LAGGING STRAND by phosphodiester bond formation

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5
Q

define “DNA polymerase”

A

ENZYME that synthesises daughter strands from parental strands (5’ to 3’ direction) by complementary base pairing
Forms phosphodiester bonds
also has proof-reading activity in 3’-5’ direction

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6
Q

define “DNA replication”

A

process of copying DNA

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7
Q

define “dNTP”

A

Deoxynucleoside triphosphate

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8
Q

define “helicase”

A

ENZYME that UNWINDS DOUBLE STRANDED (dsDNA)
Breaks double bonds between bases on the 2 strands

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9
Q

define “in cis regulatory sequences”

A

Sequences of DNA on the SAME chromosome as the gene they control

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10
Q

Define “microRNA (miRNA)”

A

short (about 21 nucleotides) eukaryotic RNAs produced by the processing of pri-miRNA transcripts, coded by the genome, that regulate gene expression

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11
Q

define “monomer”

A

molecule that can be joined to similar molecule to make larger molecules

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12
Q

Define “nucleoside”

A

the building blocks of nucleotides comprised of a nuclease and a 5 carbon sugar (ribose)
(Guanosine, adenosine, thymidine, cytidine, uridine)

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13
Q

define “nucleotide”

A

the monomer that makes DNA & RNA
comprised of nuclease, ribose. And at least one phosphate group

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14
Q

define “pentose”

A

any monosaccharide (monomer of sugar molecules) that contains 5 carbons
(ribose in DNA and RNA)

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15
Q

define “phosphodiester bond”

A

bond linking 2 nucleotides within a nucleic acid chain

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16
Q

define “polymer”

A

large molecule made of simple repeating units

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17
Q

define “polymerisation”

A

process: monomers joined to form polymer

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18
Q

Define “pyrophosphate”

A

A compound comprised of 2 phosphate groups (phosphorous oxyanion)
Inorganic pyrophosphate (PPi or simply pyrophosphate) is released during phosphodiester bond formation

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19
Q

define “replication bubble”

A

bubble-like structure formed during DNA replication when 2 strands unwind

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20
Q

define “replication fork”

A

Y-shaped region of a replicating DNA molecule at which the 2 strands of the DNA are separated & daughter strands are being formed
Junction of the 2 unwinding DNA molecules during DNA replication

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21
Q

define “ribonucleic acid”

A

polymer formed from covalently linked (phosphodiester bonds) ribonucleotide monomers

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22
Q

define “ribonucleotide”

A

Nucleotide consisting of phosphate attached to 5’ end of ribose sugar and base (A, U, C, G) attached to 1’ end of ribose sugar

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23
Q

define “topoisomerase”

A

ENZYME that PREVENTS SUPERCOILING of DNA as strands unwind

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24
Q

define Messenger RNA (mRNA)

A

RNA molecule containing codons that specifies the amino acid sequence of a protein

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25
define nucleobase
any of the 5 compounds that form the base on which nucleosides and nucleotides are built (guanine, adenine, cytosine, thymine, uracil)
26
define primase
ENZYME that SYNTHESISES A SHORT RNA PRIMER required for DNA POLYMERISATION
27
define "ribosomal RNA (rRNA)"
RNA molecules that form part of the structure of the ribosome & participate in the translation of mRNA into proteins. Often identified by their sedimentation coefficient (28S rRNA)
28
define "ribosome"
particle composed of rRNAs & ribosomal proteins that catalyses the synthesis of protein using information provided by mRNA
29
define "RNA polymerase"
enzyme that catalyses the synthesis of an RNA molecule on a DNA template from ribonucleotide precursors in a 5' to 3' direction
30
define "signal transduction"
the process of transmitting extracellular signals into intracellular signals which result in changes in protein structure & hence function or the activation of transcription factors
31
define "small nuclear RNA (snRNA)"
small RNAs that are complexed with proteins to form the RIBONUCLEOPROTEIN PARTICLES (snRNPs) involved in RNA SPLICING
32
define "small nucleolar RNA (snoRNA)"
small RNAs found in the NUCLEOLUS, with various functions, including GUIDING THE MODIFICATIONS OF PRECURSOR rRNA
33
define "spliceosomes"
large assembly of RNA & protein molecules that performs pre-mRNA splicing in the process of producing mature mRNA
34
Svedberg unit (S)
measures size of rRNA based on its sedimentation rate (i.e. rate of travel in a centrifuge tube subjected to centrifugal forces in a centrifuge)
35
define "transcription"
the copying of template DNA deoxynucleotide sequence on 1 strand into a complementary ribonucleotide sequence of RNA by the enzyme RNA polymerase
36
define "transfer RNA (tRNA)"
set of small RNA molecules used in protein synthesis as an adaptor btwn mRNA & amino acids. each type of tRNA is COVALENTLY LINKED to a specific amino acid
37
define "down regulation"
decreasing the levels of a particular cellular component from normal
38
define "expressed mimic"
an RNA interference activator that is produced in vivo from an expression cassette, i.e. a DNA sequence is transcribed to produce the mimic
39
define "eukaryotes"
organisms with their genomes contained within a nucleus
40
define "functional genomics"
field of molecular biology concerned with ascribing fnxns to gene & their related proteins
41
define "gene therapy"
the use of any nucleic acid sequence to produce a therapeutic effect
42
define "knockdown"
suppression of gene expression (not permanent)
43
define "methylation"
addition of methyl group to another molecule
44
define "monocistronic"
a single primary microRNA from which a single precursor microMRNA and subsequently a single mature microRNA is produced
45
define "oncogene"
a gene with the potential to cause cancer
46
define "polycistronic"
a single primary microRNA from which many precursor microRNA and subsequently many mature microRNA are produced
47
define "synthetic mimic"
an RNA interference activator that is produced in vitro by synthetic means
48
define "transactivator"
bind to genes other than their own & turn on transcription
49
define "tumour supressor"
a gene that protects cells from becoming cancerous
50
define "up regulation"
increasing the levels of a particular cellular component from normal
51
define "annealing/renaturation"
process of hybridising 2 complementary nucleic acid sequences
52
define "denaturation"
process of separating 2 complementary nucleic acid sequences
53
define "fluorophore"
molecule the gives off fluorescent light when excited with energy
54
define "hapten"
a small immunogenicity molecule against which an antibody can be raised
55
define "hybridisation"
establishing a sequence-specific interaction btwn 2 nucleic acid sequences that are complementary to each other
56
define "probe"
a DNA/RNA sequence designed to be complementary to a sequence of interest
57
define "amino acid"
building blocks of proteins/monomers of which proteins are made. they have amino and carboxyl groups attached to a carbon atom
58
define "aliphatic amino acid"
those amino acid with R side chains containing only carbon or hydrogen atoms
59
define "aromatic amino acid"
amino acids with benzene rings in their R side chains
60
define "translation"
process by which the sequence of nucleotides in a mRNA molecule directs the incorporation of amino acids into protein
61
define "genetic code"
the set of rules specifying the correspondence between nucleotide triplets (codons) in DNA & RNA & amino acids in proteins
62
define "glycosylation"
the reaction in which a carbohydrate is attached to another molecule/protein

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