Interactions Final Review

Nucleotide

Basic building block of DNA and RNA.

Deoxyribose

Sugar in DNA nucleotides, lacking oxygen at 2' carbon.

Ribose

sugar found in RNA

Prime Carbons

phosphate has 5' at the top and deoxyribose has 3' on the bottom at right side. Flipped in left side.

Phosphate group

Component linking nucleotides in DNA/RNA backbone.

Nitrogenous base

Molecule that pairs with complementary bases in nucleotides., A, T, C, G, and U for RNA

Adenine

Purine base pairing with thymine or uracil.

Thymine

Pyrimidine base pairing with adenine in DNA.

Cytosine

Pyrimidine base pairing with guanine in DNA/RNA.

Guanine

Purine base pairing with cytosine in DNA/RNA.

Uracil

Pyrimidine base replacing thymine in RNA.

Double helix

Structure of DNA formed by two strands.

Complementary base pairing

Specific pairing of adenine-thymine and cytosine-guanine.

Hydrogen bonds

Weak bonds stabilizing base pairs in DNA. G-C has 3, A-T has 2

Sugar-phosphate backbone

Structural framework of DNA/RNA formed by sugars and phosphates.

Transcription

Process of synthesizing RNA from DNA template in the Nucleus.

Gene

Segment of DNA encoding a specific protein.

Gene Location

is a specific location in gene, or DNA sequence, or a specific position in the chromosome

Chromosome

Structure containing DNA and associated proteins.

Helicase

Enzyme unwinding DNA double helix during replication.

RNA polymerase

Enzyme synthesizing RNA from a DNA template.

mRNA

Messenger RNA carrying genetic information from DNA.

Template strand

Strand of DNA used for RNA synthesis.

Promoter

Region initiating transcription of a gene.

Terminator

Sequence signaling the end of transcription.

Directions to read DNA

from 3' to 5'

initiation of transcription

RNA polymerase attaches to the promoter region on the DNA and begins to unzip the DNA into two strands.

elongation (transcription)

RNA polymerase unzips the DNA and assembles RNA nucleotides using one strand of DNA as a template.

termination of transcription

RNA polymerase reaches a terminator sequence (Stop codon) and detaches from the template

Translation

Process of synthesizing proteins from mRNA. Happens out of nucleus in the cytoplasm to the ribosome

Ribosome

Cellular structure where protein synthesis occurs.

Ribosomal RNA (rRNA)

RNA component of ribosomes essential for protein synthesis.

tRNA

Transfer RNA bringing amino acids to ribosome.

Codon

Three-nucleotide sequence on mRNA coding for an amino acid.

Amino acid

Building block of proteins, linked by peptide bonds.

Polypeptide

Chain of amino acids forming a protein.

Start codon

AUG codon signaling the beginning of translation.

Stop codons

Codons signaling termination of protein synthesis.

Peptide bond

Covalent bond linking amino acids in proteins.

Codon chart

Reference for translating mRNA codons to amino acids.

Triplet code

Genetic code based on three-nucleotide sequences.

Genetic code

Set of rules defining how codons translate to amino acids.

Direction to read mRNA

From the start codon AUG until the stop codon

initiation for translation

stage during which a complex consisting of initiation factor proteins, a ribosome, an mRNA, and an aminoacyl tRNA corresponding to the start codon is formed to begin translation

elongation (translation)

begins by the appropriate aminoacyl-tRNA binding to the codon in the A site of the ribosome.

Termination for Translation

A stop codon is encountered and ribosome falls of the mRNA

Reading frame

Sequence of codons read during translation.

Mutation

Change in DNA sequence affecting genetic information.

Point mutation

Change in a single nucleotide in DNA.

Substitution

Replacing one nucleotide with another in DNA.

Insertion

Adding one or more nucleotides into DNA sequence.

Deletion

Removing one or more nucleotides from DNA sequence.

Frameshift

Mutation shifting the reading frame of codons.

Silent mutation

Mutation with no effect on protein function.

Missense mutation

Mutation causing a different amino acid in protein.

Nonsense mutation

Mutation creating a premature stop codon.

Mutagen

Agent causing genetic mutations.

Genetic disorder

Disease caused by abnormalities in genes or chromosomes, can also be caused by mutagens.

Sickle cell anemia

Genetic disorder affecting hemoglobin in red blood cells.

Mutation type of Sickle Cell Anemia

Point mutation causing abnormal hemoglobin.

Symptoms of Sickle Cell Anemia

Pain, anemia, swelling, and fatigue.

Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNPs)

variation in a DNA sequence occurring when one nucleotide in a genome is altered

Polymorphism

variation in a DNA sequence occurring when one or more nucleotides in a genome are altered

Genetic diversity in humans

0.1% of the genome is different between people, and 99% of the genome is the same.

Coding DNA

A sequence of DNA that codes for the production of a protein.

Noncoding DNA

DNA that does not code for proteins.

Human genetic variation

any & all differences in DNA sequences among individuals within a population or between different populations

Genome

All the genetic information in an organism; all of an organism's chromosomes.

Race

A group of humans distinguished by physical traits, blood, genetic code patterns or genetically inherited traits.

Ancestry

One's family or ethnic background, family descent.

Race pseudoscience/scientific racism

The idea that some groups are racially superior to others by using science.

Culture

Beliefs, customs, and traditions of a specific group of people.

Ethnicity

A social division based on national origin, religion, language, and often race.

Founder Effect

genetic drift that occurs after a small number of individuals colonize a new area

Bottleneck Effect

A change in allele frequency following a dramatic reduction in the size of a population

Selective advantage

a genetic advantage that improves an organism's chance of survival, usually in a changing environment

Allele frequency

how often a form of a gene appears in a gene pool/population

Population

group of individuals of the same species that live in the same area

Ancestral trait

A trait shared by all members of a group through a common ancestor.

Evolutionary pressure

any environmental stress that causes a reduction in the reproductive success in a subset of the population

Selective pressure

when the environment pushes an individual or population to adapt or evolve

Sickle cell trait

1. Carry one of the autosomal recessive genes

2. No symptoms

Malaria resistance

Sickle cell trait provides protection against malaria.

Lactase persistence

continuation of lactase production beyond early childhood that allows a person to digest milk and dairy products

Pastoralism

the domestication of animals

Evolution

The gradual change in a species over time

Natural selection

A natural process resulting in the evolution of organisms best adapted to the environment.

Gene frequency

how often a particular gene occurs in the population

Allele

Different forms of a gene

Adaptation

inherited characteristic that increases an organism's chance of survival

Structural adaptation

An inherited physical characteristic that helps an organism survive in its environment.

Behavioral adaptation

an inherited behavior that helps an organism survive

Variation

differences in physical traits of an individual from the group to which it belongs

Mutation

change in a DNA sequence that affects genetic information

Survival of the fittest

A natural process resulting in the evolution of organisms best adapted to the environment.

Common ancestor

An ancestral species from which later species evolved

Genetic drift

Change in allele frequency of a population as result of chance events rather than natural selection.

Environmental pressure

The factors in an ecosystem that make it hard to survive and reproduce (food, predators, temperature, mates)

Predation

An interaction in which one organism captures and feeds on another organism

Speciation

the formation of new and distinct species in the course of evolution.