Week 1 - DNA structure

Question 1

A double stranded molecule found in each chromosome

Answer 1

deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)

Question 2

What sequence of nucleotide bases is attached in each chain of DNA?

Answer 2

Adenine, thymine, guanine, cytosine

Question 3

How must the nucleotide bases be paired?

Answer 3

adenine to thymine, guanine to cytosine (the sequence determine genetic code)

Question 4

Replication

Answer 4

in mitosis and other processes - the helix unravels and loose nucleotides are attracted to the unpaired strands and form two identical chromosomes (errors sometimes occur and result in mutations)

Question 5

Structural genes

Answer 5

Contain info necessary for synthesis of proteins

Question 6

Proteins

Answer 6

Long chains of amino acids that control physiological activities of cells and are important components of their structure

Question 7

5. All cells in body (e.g. brain, hair, bone etc.) contain exactly the same set of structural genes. How do cells develop differently?

Answer 7

Enhancer

Question 8

Tell me about the role of an enhancer

Answer 8

• Sections of DNA that control structural genes and whether or not they initiate synthesis of protein
• If protein is synthesized the gene is expressed – no protein synthesis, gene is not expressed.

Question 9

Again, what happens if the protein is not synthesized?

Answer 9

The gene is not expressed

Question 10

Why is control of the gene expression important?

Answer 10

It determines how a cell will develop and how it will function once it is mature

Question 11

What are enhancers like?

Answer 11

Switches on/off, up/down

Question 12

Transcription factors

Answer 12

Proteins that bind to DNA and regulate genetic expression

Question 13

What are many of these transcription factors that influence enhancers influenced by?

Answer 13

Signals received from the cell as it responds to the environment; thus, providing the mechanism for interaction of the environment and genes to influence development