Replication Flashcards
(137 cards)
What are the components of a nucleotide?
A nucleotide is composed of three components: a sugar molecule (deoxyribose in DNA, ribose in RNA), a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base.
What is the significance of the sequence of bases in a nucleic acid chain?
The sequence of bases along a nucleic acid chain carries genetic information. The specific order of the bases encodes the instructions for the synthesis of proteins and other cellular functions.
How does DNA replication occur?
DNA replication occurs through a process called semi-conservative replication. Each DNA strand serves as a template for the creation of a new complementary strand. The result is two identical DNA molecules, each containing one original strand and one newly synthesized strand.
How is protein synthesis related to DNA and RNA?
DNA itself is not directly involved in protein synthesis. Instead, DNA is transcribed into mRNA through a process called transcription. The mRNA molecules then serve as templates for protein synthesis
What is the role of messenger RNA (mRNA) in protein synthesis?
Messenger RNA (mRNA) is a type of RNA molecule that carries the genetic information from DNA to the cellular machinery responsible for protein synthesis. mRNA acts as an intermediary, conveying the instructions encoded in DNA to guide the synthesis of proteins.
What is the relationship between transcription and translation?
Transcription is the process where DNA is copied into mRNA, while translation is the process where mRNA is used as a template to synthesize proteins according to the genetic instructions encoded in the mRNA.
What is the genetic code, and what does it define?
The genetic code defines the relationship between the sequence of bases in DNA (or its mRNA transcript) and the sequence of amino acids in a protein. It is nearly the same in all organisms and consists of codons, which are sequences of three bases that specify a particular amino acid.
Why are naturally occurring DNA molecules long?
Naturally occurring DNA molecules are long because they need to carry the genetic information necessary for the functioning of organisms, even in the simplest ones
Can you provide examples of DNA lengths in different organisms?
Polyoma virus: Two intertwined strands, each 5100 nucleotides long.
E. coli: A single DNA molecule consisting of two chains, each with 4.6 million nucleotides.
Human genome: Approximately 3 billion nucleotides in each chain of DNA, divided among 23 distinct chromosomes of different sizes.
Indian muntjac: The genome is nearly as large as the human genome but distributed on only 3 chromosomes. The largest chromosome has two chains of over 1 billion nucleotides each.
How many nucleotides are present in each chain of the human genome?
Each chain of the human genome contains approximately 3 billion nucleotides.
What is the significance of codons in the genetic code?
Codons are sequences of three bases (nucleotides) in DNA or mRNA that code for specific amino acids or serve as start or stop signals in protein synthesis. The genetic code is degenerate, meaning that multiple codons can code for the same amino acid.
Can you explain the concept of gene expression and its relationship to DNA, RNA, and proteins?
Gene expression refers to the process by which information encoded in genes is used to create functional proteins or other cellular products. It involves the transcription of DNA into mRNA and the subsequent translation of mRNA into proteins. Gene expression is a fundamental process for the functioning and development of organisms.
What proteins are involved in DNA replication?
DNA polymerases, primase, DNA helicase, DNA ligase, single-stranded binding proteins, and various other proteins that assist in the initiation, elongation, and termination stages of replication
What is the role of DNA polymerases in DNA replication?
DNA polymerases play a crucial role in DNA replication. They promote the formation of bonds between individual units of the DNA molecule, called nucleotides, and add them step by step to build a new DNA chain.
What are the activated precursors required for DNA synthesis?
deoxynucleoside 5’-triphosphates (dATP, dGTP, dCTP, and TTP) along with the presence of magnesium ions (Mg2+).
How is the new DNA chain assembled during replication?
The new DNA chain is assembled directly on a preexisting DNA template. The DNA polymerases read the template DNA strand and add complementary nucleotides to the growing DNA chain, ensuring that the bases on the incoming nucleotides match the bases on the template strand.
What is the function of primase in DNA replication?
Primase is an enzyme involved in DNA replication that initiates the synthesis of RNA primers. These primers provide a starting point for DNA polymerases to begin synthesizing a new DNA strand.
How is the accuracy of DNA replication maintained?
The accuracy of DNA replication is maintained through a multilayered system. Accurate DNA synthesis itself has a certain error rate, but it is reduced by proofreading processes during DNA synthesis. Additionally, postreplication mismatch repair further reduces errors by detecting and correcting mistakes after replication.
What is the error rate required to replicate the human genome without mistakes?
To replicate the human genome without mistakes, an error rate of less than 1 error per 3x10^9 base pairs must be achieved.
What are the different layers of the system that ensure accurate DNA synthesis?
The system that ensures accurate DNA synthesis involves multiple layers. It includes accurate DNA synthesis itself, which has an error rate of approximately 1 error per 10^3 to 10^4 inserted bases. There are also proofreading mechanisms during DNA synthesis that reduce the error rate to about 1 error per 10^6 to 10^7 base pairs.
Furthermore, postreplication mismatch repair processes further reduce the error rate to around 1 error per 10^9 to 10^10 base pairs.
How does postreplication mismatch repair reduce the error rate in DNA replication?
Postreplication mismatch repair is a mechanism that detects and corrects errors after DNA replication. It helps reduce the error rate in DNA replication to approximately 1 error per 10^9 to 10^10 base pairs.
How does primase initiate synthesis without a primer, and what is its role in DNA replication?
Primase initiates synthesis without a primer by synthesizing a short RNA primer complementary to the DNA template. The RNA primer provides a starting point for DNA polymerases to bind and begin DNA synthesis.
How does the presence of magnesium ions (Mg2+) contribute to the DNA synthesis reaction?
Magnesium ions (Mg2+) play a crucial role in DNA synthesis. They stabilize the negatively charged phosphate groups of the dNTPs, facilitating the bonding reaction between the incoming nucleotide and the growing DNA chain. Mg2+ ions also help in the proper positioning of the dNTP within the active site of DNA polymerases.
What are the specific proofreading mechanisms employed by DNA polymerases during DNA synthesis?
DNA polymerases employ proofreading mechanisms to ensure accuracy during DNA synthesis. These mechanisms include exonuclease activity, where the polymerase can remove mismatched nucleotides from the growing DNA chain and replace them with the correct ones.