Genes to Proteins - Flashcards for Biology 1101

These flashcards cover key concepts from the Genes to Proteins lecture, including protein structure, gene expression, transcription, translation, and genetic modification.

What determines the shape of a protein molecule?

The sequence of amino acids.

What are the two main steps of gene expression?

Transcription and translation

What is the difference between polar and nonpolar covalent bonds?

Nonpolar covalent bonds equally share electrons, while polar covalent bonds share electrons unequally.

What type of bond occurs between a partially positive hydrogen and a partially negative atom?

Hydrogen bond

What type of bond occurs due to the electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged ions?

Ionic Bond

What are the monomers of proteins?

Amino acids

Name some functions of proteins.

Structure, enzymes, contracting muscles, immune response, cell transport, etc…

What two properties give spider silk its toughness?

Strength and Elasticity

Why is spider silk biocompatible?

This makes it ideal for a number of uses

What is a problem in getting silk from spiders?

Spiders are territorial and do not produce vast quantities.

What is a solution to getting silk from spiders?

Have yeast cells make spider silk.

What is a gene?

A sequence of DNA that contains the instructions to make a protein

What is the location of a gene called?

Locus (loci)

What is gene expression?

Genes are expressed when the cell uses the instructions in the DNA to make proteins

What is the result of cells expressing different genes?

Not all cells express the same genes (proteins)

What do the genes expressed by the cell determine?

The proteins made

What two parts are genes organized into?

Regulatory sequence and coding sequence

What does the regulatory sequence control?

The timing, location, and amount of gene expression

What does the coding sequence determine?

The sequence of amino acids in the protein

What is a protein?

Macromolecule of repeating amino acids

What are some functions of proteins?

Muscle contractions, hair and skin texture, facilitate chemical reactions (enzymes), fight infections, hormones

How many different amino acids are there?

20

What are three things which the unique chemical side group of an amino acid may be?

Nonpolar, Polar, or Charged (+ or -)

What are the four levels of protein structure?

Primary, Secondary, Tertiary, and Quaternary

What two things are the 3-D Shape of Proteins due to?

Interaction between amino acids and surrounding water molecules and Interactions between amino acids and other amino acids

What determines the shape of a protein and thereby its function?

The amino acid sequence

What are alleles?

Alternative versions of the same gene

What is the effect of some variants in alleles

Some variants are harmless, not changing the 3-D shape or function of the protein. Some variants can change the 3-D shape causing the protein to have altered function or become nonfunctional.

Define transcription and translation.

Transcription is the process of copying DNA to RNA; translation is the process of using RNA to assemble proteins.

Where does transcription occur in eukaryotes?

Nucleus

Where does translation occur?

Ribosomes in the cytoplasm

What is the role of RNA polymerase in transcription?

RNA polymerase binds to the regulatory region and copies the coding region of DNA to synthesize mRNA.

What are the key differences between DNA and RNA?

DNA is double-stranded with deoxyribose sugar and thymine, while RNA is single-stranded with ribose sugar and uracil.

How does RNA polymerase synthesize mRNA?

It moves along the template DNA strand, reading the DNA sequence and synthesizing a complementary mRNA strand, using uracil instead of thymine.

What is the role of ribosomes in translation?

Ribosomes read the mRNA sequences in groups of three nucleotides called codons to assemble the corresponding amino acids.

What is a codon?

A sequence of three nucleotides that specifies a particular amino acid

What is the role of tRNA in translation?

tRNA carries an amino acid to the mRNA and ribosome, using its anticodon to pair with the correct codon.

What is a genetically modified organism (GMO)?

An organism that has been genetically altered by humans via genetic engineering.

What is a transgenic organism?

An organism that carries one or more genes from a different species.

What is a recombinant gene?

A genetically engineered gene containing portions of genes not naturally found together.

What is a vector in the context of genetic engineering?

A DNA molecule used to deliver a recombinant gene to a host cell.

What is gene therapy?

A treatment that aims to cure, treat, or prevent human disease by replacing defective genes with functional ones.

What is CRISPR?

A technology that allows you to "cut" out a specific section of DNA and replace it with a different DNA sequence.