Biology Unit 2: Proteins and Inheritance Review

These flashcards cover essential vocabulary related to DNA, proteins, inheritance, enzymes, cell division, and stem cells as part of the biology curriculum.

DNA

Deoxyribonucleic acid, the molecule that carries genetic information.

Chromosome

A structure composed of DNA and proteins that contains genetic information.

Gene

A section of DNA that codes for a protein.

Codon

A sequence of three bases in DNA that codes for a specific amino acid.

Adenine

One of the four bases in DNA, paired with thymine.

Thymine

One of the four bases in DNA, paired with adenine.

Cytosine

One of the four bases in DNA, paired with guanine.

Guanine

One of the four bases in DNA, paired with cytosine.

Complementary Base Pairing Rule

A rule stating that adenine pairs with thymine, and guanine pairs with cytosine.

mRNA

Messenger RNA, a molecule that carries a complementary copy of DNA.

Ribosome

The cellular structure where proteins are assembled from amino acids.

Enzyme

A biological catalyst that speeds up a chemical reaction without being consumed.

Active Site

The region on an enzyme where the substrate binds.

Substrate

The molecule upon which an enzyme acts.

Denatured Enzyme

An enzyme that has lost its functional shape due to high temperature or pH changes.

Mitosis

A process of cell division that produces two identical daughter cells.

Diploid

A cell with two complete sets of chromosomes, one from each parent.

Haploid

A cell with a single set of unpaired chromosomes.

Stem Cell

An unspecialised cell that can develop into many different cell types.

Fertilisation

The fusion of male and female gametes to form a zygote.

Genotype

The genetic makeup of an organism with respect to a particular trait.

Phenotype

The physical appearance or expression of a genotype.

Allele

Different forms of a gene that can produce different phenotypes.

Dominant Allele

An allele that produces its phenotype even when heterozygous with a recessive allele.

Recessive Allele

An allele that does not produce its phenotype in the presence of a dominant allele.

Homozygous

An individual with two identical alleles for a particular gene.

Heterozygous

An individual with two different alleles for a particular gene.

Punnett Square

A diagram used to predict genotypes and phenotypes of offspring from genetic crosses.