DNA Structure, Function, and Replication

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts related to the structure, function, and replication of DNA, including experiments that defined the role of DNA, mechanisms of transcription and translation, and unique aspects of genetic coding.

DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid)

The genetic material that contains instructions for the development and functioning of living organisms.

Genes

Segments of DNA that are associated with specific traits.

Chromosomes

Structures that organize and package DNA in cells; composed of DNA and proteins.

Transformation Factor

The substance responsible for genetic transformation, identified as DNA in the studies of Griffith and others.

Avery, MacLeod, & McCarty experiment

A 1944 experiment that demonstrated DNA is the hereditary molecule by showing that transformation is not disrupted by the removal of proteins, lipids, or RNA.

Hershey-Chase Experiment

A 1952 experiment that confirmed DNA is the genetic material by labeling DNA with phosphorus and protein with sulfur to see what entered bacterial cells.

Transcription

The process of synthesizing RNA from a DNA template.

Translation

The process of synthesizing proteins from mRNA templates.

Watson and Crick

Scientists known for discovering the double-helix structure of DNA.

Chargaff's Rule

The principle that the amount of adenine equals thymine and the amount of guanine equals cytosine in a DNA molecule.

DNA Replication

The process by which DNA makes a copy of itself during cell division.

Meselson-Stahl Experiment

An experiment that demonstrated the semiconservative mechanism of DNA replication.

DNA Polymerase

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

Lagging Strand

The DNA strand that is synthesized in a discontinuous manner, forming Okazaki fragments.

Leading Strand

The DNA strand that is synthesized continuously in the same direction as the moving replication fork.

Telomeres

Protective caps on the ends of chromosomes that prevent degradation during replication.

Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)

A method used to amplify DNA sequences for analysis.

VNTR (Variable Number Tandem Repeat)

Repeats of short DNA sequences that are variable among individuals, used in genetic fingerprinting.

Genetic Code

The set of rules by which information encoded in genetic material is translated into proteins.

Anticodon

A three-nucleotide sequence on tRNA that is complementary to a corresponding mRNA codon.

Ribosome

A cellular structure that facilitates the translation of mRNA into proteins.

mRNA (Messenger RNA)

A type of RNA that carries the genetic information from DNA to the ribosome for protein synthesis.

Polypeptide

A chain of amino acids linked together by peptide bonds, forming a protein.

Eukaryotic vs. Prokaryotic Transcription

Eukaryotic transcription occurs in the nucleus and involves processing, while prokaryotic transcription occurs in the cytoplasm and is simpler.