Heredity and Continuity of Life

Question 1

Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA)

Answer 1

Thread-liek chain of nucleotides carrying the genetic instructions in a double helix of antiparallel strands.

Question 2

Ribonucleic Acid (RNA)

Answer 2

Thread-like chain of nucleotides carrying the genetic instructions for the forming of protein in a cell.

Question 3

Sugar-Phosphate Backbone

Answer 3

The structural framework of nucleic acids, composed of alternating sugar and phosphate groups.

Question 4

Condensation Polymerisation

Answer 4

The formation of a polymer by the reactions between two monomers, with the loss of a small molecule (e.g. water).

Question 5

Antiparallel

Answer 5

Two biopolymers that run parallel to each other but with opposite alignments, e.g. the two strands of the DNA molecule.

Question 6

Nucleosome

Answer 6

A length of DNA coiled around a core eight histone protein molecules.

Question 7

Epigenetic Factors

Answer 7

A chemical tag that determines the degree of coiling around the nucleosome and thus gene expression.

Question 8

Gene

Answer 8

A region of DNA, made up of nucleotides, that encodes molecule that has a function.

Question 9

Genetic Code

Answer 9

The code the body uses to convert the instructions in the DNA into the proteins essential for life.

Question 10

DNA Helicase

Answer 10

An enzyme that breaks down the hydrogen bonds holding two DNA strands together.

Question 11

Semiconservative Replication

Answer 11

Replication of DNA resulting in two copies that each contain one of the original strands and one new strand.

Question 12

3’ (Three-Prime) End

Answer 12

One end of a DNA strand in which the C3 carbon atom of the sugar molecule in the DNA’s sugar backbone has a ‘free’ OH (hydroxyl) group that is not linked to another chemical group.

Question 13

5’ (Five-Prime) End

Answer 13

One end of a DNA strand in which the C5 carbon atom of the sugar molecule in the DNA’s sugar backbone has a ‘free’ phosphate group that is not linked to another chemical group.

Question 14

DNA Polymerase

Answer 14

A type of enzyme that is responsible for assembling nucleotides to form new copies of DNA.

Question 15

Origin of Replication

Answer 15

A particular sequence in the DNA molecule at which replication is initiated.

Question 16

Replication Fork

Answer 16

Structure with two branching sections that is created when DNA helicase break the hydrogen bonds holding the two DNA strands together at a certain point.

Question 17

Replication Bubble

Answer 17

An unwound and open region of DNA in which DNA replication occurs, created when the enzyme DNA helicase separates the two strands of DNA.

Question 18

Leading Strand

Answer 18

DNA template from the middle of the replication bubble (point of origin) to the fork.

Question 19

Lagging Strand

Answer 19

DNA template from the fork to the middle of the replication bubble (point of origin).

Question 20

Okazaki Fragments

Answer 20

Fragments of DNA that are formed on the lagging strand of replicating DNA.

Question 21

DNA Ligase

Answer 21

A specific type of enzyme that facilitates the joining of DNA strands together.

Question 22

Termination Sequence

Answer 22

A section of nucleic acid sequence that marks the end of a gene or replication site.