Macromolecules II (nucleic acids) Flashcards

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1
Q

The amino acid sequence of a polypeptide is programmed by a unit of inheritance known as a ______

A

The amino acid sequence of a polypeptide is programmed by a unit of inheritance known as a gene

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2
Q

Genes consist of DNA which is a polymer belonging to the class of compounds known as ________

A

Genes consist of DNA which is a polymer belonging to the class of compounds known as nucleic acids

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3
Q

What are the two types of nucleic acids?

A
  • deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)
  • ribonucleic acid (RNA)
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4
Q

What are nucleic acids

A

These are the molecules that permit living organisms to reproduce their complex components from one generation to the next

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5
Q

DNA is the physical carrier of inheritance for what percentage of living organisms?

A

DNA is the physical carrier of inheritance for 99% of living organisms

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6
Q

Chromosome

A

a chromosome is a very long DNA molecule and associated proteins, that carry portions of the hereditary information of an organism

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7
Q

What is a chromosome formed from?

A

A chromosome is formed from a single DNA molecule that contains many genes

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8
Q

Gene

A

a region of DNA that controls a hereditary characteristic

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9
Q

Genes usually correspond to a ________ (____________) that encodes the production of a specific protein or RNA or regulates the transcription of such sequence.

A

usually corresponds to a sequence (of nucleotides on a chromosome) that encodes the production of a specific protein or RNA or regulates the transcription of such sequence.

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10
Q

Flow of genetic information

A

DNA –> RNA –> protein

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11
Q

Nucleotides

A

The monomers of nucleic acids

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12
Q

Composition of a nucleotide

A
  1. A nitrogenous base
  2. A pentose (five-carbon sugar)
  3. A phosphate group
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13
Q

List the nitrogenous bases (pyrimidines and purines)

A

Pyriminidines:
- Cycosine (C)
- THymine (in DNA) (T)
- Uracil (in RNA) (U)
Purines:
- Adenine (A)
- Guanine (G)

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14
Q

Pentose sugar

A

Ribose (OH on number 2 carbon)
Deoxyribose (H on number 2 carbon)

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15
Q

Nucleotides - reffer to how

A

refer to each nucleotide by the name of its nitrogenous base rather than by its proper nucleoside monophosphate name

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16
Q

Nucleic acid polymer

A

Polynucleotide

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17
Q

How are nucleotides joined

A

nucleotides are joined by covalent bonds called phosphodiester linkages between the phosphate of one nucleotide and the sugar of the next

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18
Q

A gene

A

a region of DNA that controls a hereditary characteristic

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19
Q

A chromosome is formed from what

A

A chromosome is formed from a single DNA molecule that contains many genes

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20
Q

Why is the number of possible base sequences is effectively limitless

A

Because genes are hundreds to thousands of nucleotides long

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21
Q

DNA stucture

A

Consists of two polynucleotides that spiral around an imaginary axis to form a double helix

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22
Q

How are the two DNA stands held together:
1. between the base paids (and why is this beneficial)
2. between th stacked base pairs

A
  1. held together by hydrogen bonds between the paired bases (strong enough to hold them together but weak enough that they can be seperated during DNA replication)
  2. held together by van der Walls attractions between the stacked base pairs
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23
Q

DNA base pairing - what’s compatible with what

A

Adenine (A) always pairs with thymine (T)
Guanine (G) always pairs with cytosine (C)

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24
Q

What can be said about the two strands of the double helix

A

they are complementary

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25
Q

DNA replication

steps 3

A
  1. seperation of the two DNA strnads
  2. each parent strand now serves as a template that determine the order of mucleotides along a new complemenary strand (A–>T, G–>C)
  3. The nucleotides are connected to form the form the sugar phosphate backbones of the new strands. Each daughter DNA molecule consists of one parental strand and one new strand
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26
Q

Each gene carries information needed to make a specific _____

A

Each gene carries information needed to make a specific protein

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27
Q

The information content of DNA, the genetic material, is in the form of specific sequences of ________ along the ________

A

The information content of DNA, the genetic material, is in the form of specific sequences of nucleotides along the DNA strands

28
Q

Genes carry information that determines the ________ structure of the protein

A

Genes carry information that determines the primary structure of the protein

28
Q

What are protein’s monomers (#amount)

A

Proteins are made up of monomers called amino acids

29
Q

number and sequence of the aa’s = _______ –> controls _________ –> ________

A

number and sequence of the aa’s = primary structure –> controls shape –> function

30
Q

True or false

Each protein has its own unique sequence

A

True

31
Q

What is present in DNA and RNA
1. Phosphate
2. Sugar
3. Nitrogenous base
4. Strands

A
  1. Phosphate –> yes
  2. Sugar –> DNA: Deoxyribose ; RNA: Ribose
  3. Nitrogenous base –> For both: A, G, C - DNA - T, RNA, U
  4. Strands –> DNA: double stranded ; RNA: single standed
32
Q

Genes are typically hundreds or thousands of ________ long, each gene having a specific sequence of _________.

A

Genes are typically hundreds or thousands of nucleotides long, each gene having a specific sequence of bases.

33
Q

What are the monomers of polypeptides (#)

A

20 amino acids

34
Q

Transciption

A

Transcription is the synthesis of mRNA under the direction of DNA

35
Q

What can be said about the language of DNA and mRNA in transcription

A

Both nucleic acids use the same language, and the information is simply transcribed, or copied, from one molecule to another

36
Q

mRNA: full name and reason

A

messenger RNA because it carries a genetic message from the DNA to the protein-synthesizing machinery of the cell.

37
Q

Translation

A

Translation is the actual synthesis of a polypeptide, which occurs under the direction of mRNA.

38
Q

Change in language in translation

A

the cell must translate the base sequence of the mRNA molecule into the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide

39
Q

Site of translation and what they are

A

Ribosomes (complex particles that assist the orderly linking of amino acids into polypeptide chains)

40
Q

Once the mRNA molecule is transcribed, it undergoes some ________ and exits the ________ through _________

A

Once the mRNA molecule is transcribed, it undergoes some modification and exits the nucleus through nuclear pore

41
Q

How many nucleotides code for 1 amino acid

A

3 nucleotides code for 1 amino acid

42
Q

How many codons are there

A

64

43
Q

How many of the 64 codons code for amino acids

A

61 of the 64

44
Q

During transcription: the gene determines the sequence of _____, along the length of an ______ molecule

A

the gene determines the sequence of base triplets, along the length of an mRNA molecule

45
Q

For each gene, only ___________ DNA strands is transcribed. This strand is called _______

A

For each gene, only one of the two DNA strands is transcribed. This strand is called the template strand

46
Q

name of the mRNA base triplets

A

Codons

47
Q

During translation, the sequence of codons along an mRNA molecule is ________ or ________ into a sequence of ____________ making up a __________ chain

A

during translation, the sequence of codons along an mRNA molecule is decoded or translated into a sequence of amino acids making up a polypeptide chain.

48
Q

Each codon along the mRNA specifies which one of the 20 ________ will be incorporated at the corresponding position along a polypeptide

A

Each codon along the mRNA specifies which one of the 20 amino acids will be incorporated at the corresponding position along a polypeptide

49
Q

Because codons are base triplets, the number of nucleotides making up a genetic message must be ____________the number of amino acids making up the protein product

A

Because codons are base triplets, the number of nucleotides making up a genetic message must be three times the number of amino acids making up the protein product

50
Q

Interpreter of translation

A

tRNA

51
Q

The function of tRNA is to transfer amino acids from the ________ pool to a ________

A

The function of tRNA is to transfer amino acids from the cytoplasm’s amino acid pool to a ribosome

52
Q

Functions of tRNA

(2)

A
  1. To chemically link to a particular amino acid (with a covalent bond)
  2. To recognize a specific codon in mRNA (non-covalent) so that its attached amino acid can be added to a growing peptide chain
53
Q

A cell keeps its cytoplasm stocked with all 20 amino acids, either by ____________ or by _____________

A

A cell keeps its cytoplasm stocked with all 20 amino acids, either by synthesizing them from other compounds or by taking them up from surrounding solution

54
Q

What does tRNA carry

A

tRNA carries the proper amino acid to the ribosome when the codons call for them.

55
Q

Each tRNA molecule is approximately ________ long and has a 3-D conformation, due to stretches of ________ that can hydrogen bond together.

A

Each tRNA molecule is approximately 80 nucleotides long and has a 3-D conformation, due to stretches of complimentary bases that can hydrogen bond together.

56
Q

What is at one end of the a tRNA

A

The anticodon (the compliment of the codon)

57
Q

Name corresponding anticodon and DNA template for this codon

AAG

A

anticodon: UUC

DNA template: TTC

58
Q

Name corresponding anticodon and DNA template for this codon

GGU

A

anticodon: CCA

DNA template: CCA

59
Q

Name corresponding anticodon and DNA template for this codon

GUA

A

anticodon: CAU

DNA template: CAT

60
Q

Composition of ribosomes

A

Ribosomes are composed of individual ribosomal RNA (rRNA) molecules and more than 50 accessory proteins.

61
Q

Rate of protein synthesis by a ribosome

A

3-5 amino acids/minute

62
Q

Both ________ and ________ are informational polymers with linear sequences of monomers (nucleotides and amino acids)

A

Both nucleic acids and proteins are informational polymers with linear sequences of monomers (nucleotides and amino acids)

63
Q

Transcription is the making of an ________ molecule off a ________ template

A

Transcription is the making of an RNA molecule off a DNA template

64
Q

Translation is the construction of _________ (______) from an ________ molecule.

A

Translation is the construction of an amino acid sequence (polypeptide) from an RNA molecule.