Biology: DNA, RNA, and Protein Synthesis Key Concepts

DNA Polymerase

A crucial enzyme that synthesizes new DNA strands by adding nucleotides to a growing chain.

Replication

The process of making an identical copy of DNA molecule.

Translation

The fundamental process where a cell builds proteins by decoding messenger RNA (mRNA) instructions into a specific chain of amino acids.

Base pairing

The specific hydrogen bonding between complementary nitrogenous bases in DNA and RNA.

Bacteriophage

A type of virus that specifically infects and replicates within bacteria, essentially 'eating' or destroying the bacterial host cell.

Telomeres

Protective caps at the ends of chromosomes.

RNA

Ribonucleic Acid. Single stranded nucleic acid crucial for gene expression, acting as a messenger, etc.

rRNA

A type of RNA that combines with proteins to form ribosomes, the cellular machinery that synthesizes proteins.

Frameshift mutation

A genetic error where nucleotides are inserted or deleted from a DNA sequence in a number not divisible by 3, shifting the entire reading form for protein synthesis.

Point mutation

A small-scale change in the DNA sequences specifically in substitution and insertion or deletion of a single nucleotide.

Mutation

Any change in an organism's DNA or RNA sequence (essentially a change bases).

Hox genes

Master control genes that tell embryo where to put body parts.

Homeobox genes

A family of related genes that contains a conserved DNA sequence called homebox.

Transformation

A cell that takes up foreign DNA, changing its genetic makeup.

mRNA

A type of single-stranded RNA that carries genetic instructions from DNA in the cell's nucleus to the cytoplasm where it is used by ribosomes to build proteins.

tRNA

A small RNA molecule that acts as an adapter carrying specific amino acids to ribosome during protein synthesis to build proteins.

Anticodon

A trinucleotide sequence located at one end of tRNA molecule.

Transcription

The essential first step of gene expression where a cell creates a messenger RNA (mRNA) copy from a DNA sequence.

RNA polymerase

A crucial enzyme that builds RNA from a DNA template.