CHM 2010 - Nucleic Acids Lecture Notes

These flashcards cover the core concepts related to nucleic acids, their structures, functions, and processes involved in genetic information flow.

Nucleic Acids

Biopolymers essential for all known forms of life; the two types are DNA and RNA.

DNA

Deoxyribonucleic acid; stores and transfers genetic information.

RNA

Ribonucleic acid; involved in protein synthesis.

Nucleotide

Building block of nucleic acids, consisting of a sugar, a phosphate, and a nitrogenous base.

Purines

Type of nitrogenous base with a two-ring structure; includes adenine and guanine.

Pyrimidines

Type of nitrogenous base with a single-ring structure; includes cytosine, thymine, and uracil.

Adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP)

Adenine nucleoside with one phosphate group.

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)

A nucleic acid that contains the sugar deoxyribose, is double-stranded, and includes thymine as a nitrogenous base.

Ribonucleic acid (RNA)

A nucleic acid containing ribose sugar, is single-stranded, and includes uracil instead of thymine.

Transcription

The process of synthesizing hnRNA from a DNA template.

Translation

The process of synthesizing proteins from an mRNA template.

Codon

A sequence of three nucleotides on mRNA that corresponds to a specific amino acid.

Anticodon

A sequence of three nucleotides on tRNA that pairs with a corresponding codon on mRNA.

Gene Expression

The process through which genetic information is decoded to produce proteins.

Mutations

Changes in the DNA sequence that can alter genetic information, potentially leading to changes in protein function.

Restriction Enzymes

Proteins that cut DNA at specific sequences to allow for manipulation in molecular biology.

Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)

A technique used to amplify a specific DNA segment, creating numerous copies.

Recombinant DNA (rDNA)

DNA that has been artificially created by combining DNA from two different sources.