DNA and RNA Synthesis Quiz Practice

Avery and DNA

DNA stores genetic info in a cell to guide protein synthesis. In addition, it also transmits genetic information from generation to generation.

What is DNA made up of?

DNA is made up of nucleotides, which consist of a sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base.

What does guanine pair with?

Guanine pairs with cytosine.

What is the acronym to remember the base pairing of guanine and cytosine?

The car in the garage.

What does adenine pair with in DNA?

In DNA, adenine pairs with thymine.

What does adenine pair with in RNA?

In RNA, adenine pairs with uracil.

What is the acronym to remember the base pairing of adenine and thymine?

The apple in the tree.

What is the acronym to remember the base pairing of adenine and thymine?

The apple is under the tree.

What are the four kinds of bases?

Adenine, thymine, cytosine, and guanine.

Which bases are purines?

Adenine and guanine, which are larger, double-ring structures compared to pyrimidines.

Which bases are pyrimidines?

Cytosine and thymine, which are smaller, single-ring structures compared to purines.

How do you remember which bases fall under the purine or pyrimidine category?

pYrimidines are cYtosines and thYmines.

What are the sides of a DNA molecule made up of?

The sides of a DNA molecule are made up of sugar and phosphate groups.

What are the “rungs” of DNA made up of?

The "rungs" of DNA are made up of pairs of nitrogenous bases, specifically adenine pairing with thymine and guanine pairing with cytosine.

What are Chargaff’s Rules?

Chargaff's Rules state that in a DNA molecule, the amount of adenine equals thymine, and the amount of guanine equals cytosine.

Who built a model of DNA?

James Watson and Francis Crick

What is the DNA model called?

The double helix model (which two strands are wound around each other).

What did the double helix model explain?

The double helix explained how genetic information could be copied.

What else did Watson and Crick discover?

They discovered how hydrogen bonds can only form between certain pairs. This principle is called base pairing.

In prokaryotes, where is DNA located?

In prokaryotes, DNA is located in the cytoplasm.

How many DNA molecules do prokaryotes have?

Most prokaryotes have a singe DNA molecule that contains nearly all of the cell’s genetic information.

How many more DNA molecules does eukaryotes have then prokaryotes?

Eukaryotes have 1000 times the amount of DNA as prokaryotes.

Where is eukaryotic DNA located?

Eukaryotic DNA is located in the cells’ nucleus (inside chromosomes).

What forms chromatin?

Eukaryotic chromosomes contain DNA and protein, which are tightly packed together to form chromatin.

How are histones formed?

Histones are the proteins which DNA tightly coils to, and they are formed by chromatin.

What two molecules form nucleosomes?

DNA and histone molecules form nucleosomes.

What do nucleosomes do?

Nucleosomes pack together which forms a thick fiber.

What is the definition of DNA replication?

DNA replication is the process where DNA makes a copy of itself.

Why does DNA replicate?

It does this so that cells can divide in order for an organism to grow and/or reproduce.

What does replication ensure?

Replication ensures that each resulting cell with have a complete set of DNA.

What is DNA also called?

The blueprint of life

Is DNA conservative, dispersive, or semi-conservative?

DNA is semi-conservative.

What does “semi-conservative” mean?

This means that when DNA makes a new copy, one half of the old strand is always kept and in the new strand.

In prokaryotes, how many “starts” of replication are there?

DNA replication begins at a single points and continues in two directions.

In eukaryotic chromosomes, how many “starts” of replication are there?

DNA replication occurs at hundreds of places. Replication proceeds in other directions until each chromosome is completely copied.

What are replication forks?

Replication forks are the sites where separation and replication occur.

What does each strand of DNA have?

Each strand of the DNA double helix has all of the information needed to reconstruct the other half by the mechanism of base pairing.

What enzyme unwinds the DNA?

Helicase is the enzyme which unwinds the DNA.

When the DNA molecule separates, what is broken?

The hydrogen bonds between base pairs are broken.

What does DNA replication produce?

It produces two new complementary strands following the rules of base pairing.

What joins the two strands of DNA?

Ligase.

What does DNA polymerase do?

DNA polymerase joins individual nucleotides to produce a DNA molecule, and then “proofreads” each new DNA strand.

How can DNA polymerase proofread or repair the mismatches?

DNA polymerase removes the incorrect nucleotide and replaces it with the correct one.

What is the sugar in RNA?

Ribose

What does DNA stand for?

Deoxyribonucleic acid

What is the sugar in DNA?

Deoxyribose

What does RNA stand for?

Ribonucleic Acid

Does RNA have short or long chains?

RNA has short chains.

What are the bases of RNA?

The bases are adenine, uracil, guanine, and cytosine.

What are the base pairs of RNA?

Adenine bonds with uracil, and guanine bonds with cytosine.

How many types of RNA are there?

Three

What are the three types of RNA?

mRNA (messenger RNA), rRNA (ribosomal RNA), and tRNA (transfer RNA)

What does the messenger RNA do?

The messenger RNA carries the instruction (code) from a gene to make a protein (letter).

What does the ribosomal RNA do?

The ribosomal RNA makes up ribosomes, and synthesizes protein (bill collector).

What does the transfer RNA do?

The transfer RNA transfers amino acids to the ribosome to make a protein (mail carriers).

What are genes?

Genes are coded DNA instructions that control the production of proteins.

How can genetic messages be decoded?

Genetic messages can be decoded b copying parts of the nucleotide sequence from DNA into RNA.

What does RNA contain?

RNA contains coded information for making proteins.

What are physical or chemical substances that cause mutations called?

Mutagens

What are the differences between substitution, insertion and deletion?

Substitution (bases are exchanged)

Insertion (a base is added)

Deletion (a base is left out)

What does anti-parallel mean in DNA?

It runs next to one another in opposite directions.

What does 5’ to 3’ mean in DNA?

It runs from the 5 prime to the 3 prime, and the copy runs from the 3 prime to the 5 prime.

What are Ozaki fragments?

They are short fragments formed in the lagging template, and they form the double strand in DNA.