DNA II Flashcards
Learn the basic terms and processes connected to genetics. (41 cards)
What is DNA?
Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) is the hereditary materials in humans and all other organisms.
What are Chromosomes?
Chromosomes are thin thread-like structures of DNA wrapped many times around histones.
What are genes?
Genes are basic units of heredity. They pass certain traits into the following generations.
Where is DNA located within the cell?
DNA is mostly located in the nucleus of the cell. Although some DNA resides in the mitocondria, and/or the chloroplast within plant cells.
How are the hereditary materials stored in the DNA?
DNA is stored in a sequenced code of only four base chemicals: adenine, cytosine, thymine, guanine.
Approximately, what percentage of human DNA is common to all the human family?
About 99% of the DNA is shared by every human being.
What is a base pair?
A base pair is a coupling of two DNA base chemicals.
What holds the base pair together in DNA structure?
Base pairs are held in place within the structure of DNA by sugars and phosphates that bind to the DNA chemicals.
What holds the base pair in place within the DNA structure?
The base pair held by the sugar and phosphate cells are called nucleotides?
What is the structure of DNA called?
The DNA structure is called the “Double Helix”, it remembles a spiral staircase or a twisted ladder. The base pairs would be like the rungs of the ladder, while the sugar and phosphare forms the vertical structure of the ladder.
What is the most important property of DNA?
The property of self-replication. DNA can copy itself.
What does the DNA do during cell replication?
DNA makes an exact copy of itself for the new cell.
When can chromosomes be seen under a microscope?
Chromosomes can only be seen during cell division when they become more tightly wound. Otherwise, they are invisible.
What is the structure of chromosomes?
Chromosomes are two “arms”, one longer, and one shorter, connected at a point called centromere. The long arm is called the “p” arm and the short is called the “q” arm.
Of what are genes made?
Genes are made of DNA, and they can vary in size from a few hundred DNA bases to more than 2 million DNA bases.
How many genes on average does a human have?
Humans have between 20,000 to 25,000 genes within them.
How are genes passed on?
During reproduction, two sets of genes, one from the mother and one from the father come together to form the new gene strain– passing on the traits of both parents.
What part of the gene is responsible for differences in the traits of the offspring of two parents?
.Alelles are slight differences with DNA that determine the specific trait within the genes?
What would be an alelles within the genes carrying eye color coding?
The alelles would specify the particular color.
What is the other kind of nucleic acid found within the cell?
The other kind of nucleic acid is RNA.
What does RNA do in the cell?
RNA takes genetic information from the DNA to form proteins necessary for the organism, like enzymes.
Of what chemicals are RNA made?
RNA are made of ribose and uracil.
What is mitosis?
Mitosis is the process for reproducing somatic (non-sex) cells.
What is meiosis?
Meiosis is a the process for producing of sex cells, (gametes, either sperm or egg)
