CELS191 Lecture 10: DNA Structure

These flashcards cover essential terms and concepts related to the structure of DNA as discussed in CELS191 Lecture 10.

DNA

Deoxyribonucleic acid, the molecule that carries genetic information.

RNA

Ribonucleic acid, a nucleic acid involved in protein synthesis and gene regulation.

Watson-Crick model

A model of DNA structure describing it as a double helix with specific base pairing.

Antiparallel

Describes the opposite orientation of the two strands of DNA.

Semiconservative replication

A method of DNA replication where each original strand serves as a template for a new strand.

Nucleotide

The basic building block of DNA and RNA, consisting of a sugar, phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base.

Phosphodiester bond

A strong covalent bond that links nucleotides together in a strand of DNA.

Chargaff’s Rules

The observation that in DNA, the amount of adenine equals that of thymine, and the amount of guanine equals that of cytosine.

Base pairing

The specific hydrogen bonding between nitrogenous bases in DNA, where A pairs with T and G pairs with C.

Double helix

The structure formed by two strands of DNA twisted around each other.

Hydrogen bonds

Weak bonds that stabilize the base pairing in the DNA double helix.

Sugar-phosphate backbone

The structural framework of DNA and RNA, consisting of sugar and phosphate groups.

Nucleic acids

Large biomolecules essential for all known forms of life, comprising DNA and RNA.

Franklin’s Photo 51

An X-ray diffraction image that provided crucial information about DNA's helical structure.

Dr. Annika Bokor

The lecturer and researcher in Biochemistry at the University of Otago.

Molecular Biology

The branch of biology that deals with the molecular basis of biological activity.

Genetic material

The substance that carries genetic information in living organisms, predominantly DNA.

Tetranucleotide hypothesis

An incorrect early model suggesting DNA was composed of equal ratios of all four nucleotides.

DNA strand synthesis

The process by which DNA strands are formed, occurring in the 5’ to 3’ direction.

Monomeric units

Single units that serve as the building blocks for polymers, such as nucleotides in DNA.

Cell division

The process by which a parent cell divides into two or more daughter cells.