DNA Structure and Replication Study Guide

A collection of vocabulary flashcards covering key terms related to DNA structure, replication, transcription, translation, and mutations.

Nucleic acid

The macromolecule that holds genetic material.

Nucleotide

The monomer of nucleic acid.

Chromosome

A tightly coiled strand of DNA that contains genes.

Gene

A section of DNA (and thus of a chromosome) that has instructions to code for a protein.

RNA primer

A short piece of RNA used to help get the DNA polymerase started.

Okazaki fragments

Short pieces of DNA created from the discontinuous replication of the lagging strand.

Purines

Nucleobases with two rings in structure, which include adenine and guanine.

Pyrimidines

Nucleobases with one ring in structure, which include thymine and cytosine.

DNA

A double helix structure that serves as the genetic material of living organisms, made of nucleotides.

RNA

A single-stranded nucleic acid that plays a role in coding, decoding, regulation, and expression of genes.

Transcription

The process of copying DNA into a complementary strand of mRNA.

Translation

The process of interpreting the message on mRNA into a polypeptide.

Codon

A set of three nucleotides on mRNA that codes for an amino acid.

Anticodon

A complementary three nucleotides on tRNA that match the codon on mRNA.

Mutation

A change in the DNA sequence.

Mutagen

An agent that causes mutations.

Duplication

A mutation where a DNA segment is copied more than once.

Translocation

A chromosomal mutation where part of one chromosome breaks off and attaches to another chromosome.

Point mutation

A mutation where one base is changed.

Frameshift mutation

A mutation that results from the addition or deletion of a base, altering the reading frame.

Gene expression

The process by which the instructions in DNA are converted into a functional product, often a protein.

Epigenetics

The study of changes in gene expression that are heritable but do not involve changes to the underlying DNA sequence.