Honors Bio: DNA and RNA Review

A set of flashcards designed for reviewing key concepts related to DNA and RNA, including their structures, functions, processes, and mutations.

Who are the scientists credited with discovering the structure of DNA?

James Watson and Francis Crick.

What does DNA stand for?

Deoxyribonucleic acid.

What are the building blocks of DNA?

Nucleotides.

What three components make up a nucleotide?

Sugar, phosphate, and a base.

What shape does DNA form?

Double helix.

Which bases pair with each other in DNA?

Adenine pairs with Thymine; Cytosine pairs with Guanine.

What are purines and pyrimidines in the context of DNA?

Purines have double rings (Adenine and Guanine); Pyrimidines have single rings (Thymine and Cytosine).

Where is DNA primarily located within a cell?

In the nucleus, with some in mitochondria and chloroplasts.

What is the role of DNA polymerase?

It helps synthesize new DNA strands during replication.

What is one use for DNA fingerprinting?

Paternity testing.

What are the non-coding segments of DNA called?

Introns.

What process artificially multiplies a sample of DNA?

Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR).

What do restriction enzymes do?

They cut DNA molecules at specific base pair sequences.

What is the purpose of electrophoresis?

To sort molecules by size using an electric charge.

What is the function of mRNA?

To copy DNA and carry the genetic information to ribosomes for protein synthesis.

What are the three types of RNA?

mRNA, tRNA, rRNA.

What base replaces Thymine in RNA?

Uracil.

What is transcription?

The process where mRNA is synthesized from a DNA template.

Where does translation occur?

In the ribosomes.

What is a frameshift mutation?

A mutation caused by the insertion or deletion of a nucleotide, altering the reading frame of the genetic code.

What is Sickle Cell Anemia an example of?

A disease caused by a single amino acid change in hemoglobin due to a mutation.

What denotes the end of protein synthesis?

One of three stop codons.

What are codons and anticodons?

Codons are three-nucleotide sequences on mRNA; anticodons are complementary three-nucleotide sequences on tRNA.

What is the role of tRNA in protein synthesis?

tRNA transports amino acids to the ribosome and matches them with the correct codon on the mRNA.