[🧫] Nucleic Acids and Protein Synthesis | Definitions Flashcards
Define
gene mutation
a change in one or more nucleotide bases in DNA that could result in a change in genotype which may be inherited
Define
autosome
a chromosome that is not a sex chromosome
Define
homologous chromosomes
a pair of chromosomes, one maternal and the other paternal, that have the same gene loci and therefore determine the same features.
they are not necessarily identical; they may have different alleles; they are capable of pairing during meiosis
Define
codon
a sequence of three adjacent nucleotides in mRNA that codes for one amino acid
Define
anti-codon
a sequence of three adjacent nucleotides in tRNA that is complementary to a particular codon on mRNA
Define
chromosome
a thread-like structure made up of histone proteins and DNA by which hereditary information is physically passed from generation to generation
Define
alleles
alternative forms of a gene with different base sequences, and therefore different codes
Define
diploid
a cell or nucleus containing pairs of homologous chromosomes
Define
haploid
a cell or nucleus containing single, unpaired chromosomes
Define
nucleotides
complex chemicals made up of an organic base, a sugar and a phosphate group; the basic units of which DNA and RNA are made up of
Define
DNA helicase
- enzyme
- break H-bonds between bases and therefore separate the two nucleotide strands and expose the bases
Define
RNA polymerase
- enzyme
- joins RNA nucleotides together to form mRNA during transcription
Define
transcription
1st stage of protein synthesis
the formation of mRNA molecules from the DNA that makes up a particular gene
Define
gene
a sequence of nucleotides that forms part of a DNA molecule
