CH 10-11 DNA Structure and Function

A set of flashcards covering key vocabulary and definitions related to DNA structure and function.

DNA

Deoxyribonucleic acid, the molecule that carries genetic information.

Nucleotide

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

Antiparallel Polarity

Refers to the orientation of the two strands of DNA, where one strand runs 5' to 3' and the other runs 3' to 5'.

Watson-Crick Model

The double helix structure of DNA proposed by James Watson and Francis Crick.

Chargaff's Rules

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

Bacteriophage

A virus that infects bacteria, often used in genetic research.

Transformation

The genetic alteration of a cell resulting from the direct uptake and incorporation of exogenous genetic material.

Meischer's Discovery

Identified 'nuclein' from human white blood cells, which was later understood to be DNA.

Griffith's Experiment

Demonstrated that R strain of Streptococcus pneumoniae could be transformed into S strain by genetic material from dead S strain.

Avery, MacLeod, and McCarty

Researchers who demonstrated that DNA is the 'transforming principle' of bacteria.

Hershey-Chase Experiment

An experiment that confirmed DNA as the genetic material by using radioactive labeling.

Double Helix

The coiled structure of DNA composed of two strands that run in opposite directions.

Degenerative Codons

The redundancy in the genetic code that allows for multiple codons to code for the same amino acid.

Guanine (G)

One of the four nitrogenous bases in DNA, pairs with cytosine.

Adenine (A)

One of the four nitrogenous bases in DNA, pairs with thymine.

Cytosine (C)

One of the four nitrogenous bases in DNA, pairs with guanine.

Thymine (T)

One of the four nitrogenous bases in DNA, pairs with adenine.

Deoxyribose

The sugar component of DNA, which lacks one oxygen atom compared to ribose.

Phosphate Group

A chemical group consisting of a phosphorus atom bonded to four oxygen atoms, crucial for DNA structure.

Phosphodiester Bond

The bond that connects the nucleotide subunits in a DNA strand.

Hydrogen Bond

A weak bond that forms between complementary nitrogenous bases in DNA.

Z DNA

A left-handed form of DNA that has a zigzag appearance.

A DNA

A right-handed form of DNA, typically occurring under dehydrating conditions.

Replication

The process by which DNA is copied during cell division.

Recombination

The process by which genetic material is physically mixed from different sources.

Chromosome

A thread-like structure made of DNA and proteins that contain genetic information.

Gene

A segment of DNA that contains the instructions for making a specific protein.

B DNA

The most common form of DNA in cells, characterized by a right-handed helix.

Nomenclature

The system of naming conventions in biology, such as nucleosides and nucleotides.

Nucleoside

A nitrogenous base attached to a sugar, without the phosphate group.

NTP

Nucleotide triphosphate, a nucleotide with three phosphate groups.

NDP

Nucleotide diphosphate, a nucleotide with two phosphate groups.

dNTP

Deoxyribonucleotide triphosphate, the building blocks for DNA synthesis.