DNA Genes and Chromosomes Flashcards

(75 cards)

1
Q

What is the basic unit of heredity?

A

Gene

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

True or False: DNA stands for Deoxyribonucleic Acid.

A

True

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What are the four nucleotide bases found in DNA?

A

Adenine, Thymine, Cytosine, Guanine

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Fill in the blank: The structure of DNA is often described as a __________.

A

Double helix

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What type of bond holds the two strands of DNA together?

A

Hydrogen bonds

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What is the function of DNA polymerase?

A

To synthesize new DNA strands during replication

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is a mutation?

A

A change in the nucleotide sequence of DNA

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

True or False: All mutations are harmful.

A

False

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What is the purpose of the genetic code?

A

To specify the sequence of amino acids in proteins

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What is the role of mRNA in protein synthesis?

A

To carry the genetic information from DNA to the ribosome

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Fill in the blank: The process of copying DNA into RNA is called __________.

A

Transcription

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What is the function of ribosomes?

A

To synthesize proteins by translating mRNA

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What is the difference between DNA and RNA?

A

DNA contains deoxyribose sugar, while RNA contains ribose sugar.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What are chromatin and its role in the cell?

A

Chromatin is a complex of DNA and proteins that condenses to form chromosomes during cell division.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

True or False: Genes can be located on different chromosomes.

A

True

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What is the purpose of the cell cycle?

A

To regulate cell growth and division.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What is the role of tRNA during translation?

A

To bring amino acids to the ribosome and match them with the codons on mRNA.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Fill in the blank: The three-base sequence on mRNA that codes for an amino acid is called a __________.

A

Codon

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What is an allele?

A

Different versions of a gene that can exist at the same locus.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What does homozygous mean?

A

Having two identical alleles for a particular gene.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What does heterozygous mean?

A

Having two different alleles for a particular gene.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

True or False: The phenotype is the genetic makeup of an organism.

A

False

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

What is the function of the promoter region in a gene?

A

To provide a binding site for RNA polymerase to initiate transcription.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

What is the role of introns in genes?

A

Introns are non-coding regions that are removed during RNA processing.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Fill in the blank: The process of translating mRNA into a protein is called __________.
Translation
26
What are the two main types of nucleic acids?
DNA and RNA
27
What is the significance of the 5' and 3' ends of a DNA strand?
They indicate the directionality of the DNA strand, which is crucial for replication and transcription.
28
True or False: DNA replication is a semi-conservative process.
True
29
What is the role of ligase in DNA replication?
To join Okazaki fragments on the lagging strand.
30
What is a chromatid?
One of the two identical halves of a replicated chromosome.
31
Fill in the blank: The __________ is the region of the chromosome where the two sister chromatids are joined.
Centromere
32
What is a karyotype?
A visual representation of an individual's chromosomes.
33
True or False: Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes.
True
34
What is a genetic disorder?
A disease or condition caused by an abnormality in an individual's DNA.
35
What is the difference between a somatic cell and a gamete?
Somatic cells are body cells, while gametes are reproductive cells.
36
Fill in the blank: __________ are the structures that carry genetic information in the form of genes.
Chromosomes
37
What is the role of histones in DNA packaging?
Histones are proteins that help package DNA into a compact, organized structure.
38
True or False: Transcription occurs in the nucleus of eukaryotic cells.
True
39
What is the function of the 5' cap and poly-A tail in mRNA?
To protect mRNA from degradation and assist in translation initiation.
40
What is gene expression?
The process by which information from a gene is used to synthesize a functional gene product, usually a protein.
41
Fill in the blank: The __________ is a segment of DNA that includes the coding region and regulatory sequences.
Gene
42
What is epigenetics?
The study of heritable changes in gene expression that do not involve changes to the underlying DNA sequence.
43
True or False: All genes are expressed in every cell of an organism.
False
44
What is the role of transcription factors?
To regulate the transcription of specific genes by binding to nearby DNA.
45
Fill in the blank: The __________ is the complete set of genes or genetic material present in a cell or organism.
Genome
46
What is a promoter?
A DNA sequence that initiates transcription of a particular gene.
47
What is the significance of the genetic code being universal?
It means that the same codons specify the same amino acids across different organisms.
48
True or False: DNA can be found in both the nucleus and mitochondria of eukaryotic cells.
True
49
What is the difference between prokaryotic and eukaryotic DNA?
Prokaryotic DNA is circular and not contained in a nucleus, while eukaryotic DNA is linear and contained within a nucleus.
50
Fill in the blank: __________ are segments of DNA that code for proteins.
Exons
51
What is the purpose of DNA sequencing?
To determine the precise order of nucleotides in a DNA molecule.
52
What is a plasmid?
A small circular DNA molecule found in bacteria that can replicate independently.
53
True or False: All mutations result in a change in phenotype.
False
54
What is gene therapy?
A technique that modifies a person's genes to treat or prevent disease.
55
Fill in the blank: __________ are the physical and functional units of heredity.
Genes
56
What is the function of a spliceosome?
To remove introns from pre-mRNA during RNA processing.
57
What is a codon?
A sequence of three nucleotides that corresponds to a specific amino acid.
58
True or False: Genetic variation is important for evolution.
True
59
What is a phenotype?
The observable physical or biochemical characteristics of an organism.
60
What are homologous chromosomes?
Chromosomes that have the same sequence of genes and structure but may have different alleles.
61
Fill in the blank: __________ is the process by which DNA is copied before cell division.
Replication
62
What is the role of DNA ligase?
To join DNA strands together during replication and repair.
63
True or False: All cells in the body contain the same DNA.
True
64
What is a transposon?
A DNA sequence that can change its position within the genome.
65
Fill in the blank: The __________ is the section of DNA that is transcribed into RNA.
Coding region
66
What is a genetic marker?
A specific DNA sequence with a known location on a chromosome used to identify individuals.
67
What is the central dogma of molecular biology?
DNA -> RNA -> Protein
68
True or False: RNA can be double-stranded.
False
69
What is meant by genetic recombination?
The process by which genetic material is physically mixed during meiosis, resulting in offspring with combinations of traits.
70
Fill in the blank: __________ are sequences of DNA that regulate the expression of genes.
Regulatory elements
71
What is a silent mutation?
A mutation that does not change the amino acid sequence of a protein.
72
What is the purpose of a DNA probe?
To detect the presence of specific DNA sequences.
73
True or False: All genes are expressed at all times.
False
74
What is the role of the ribosome in translation?
To facilitate the binding of tRNA to mRNA and catalyze the formation of peptide bonds.
75
Fill in the blank: The __________ is the part of the gene that is not expressed and is removed during RNA processing.
Intron