DNA Replication and Transcription: Key Concepts for Biology

What direction does DNA polymerase synthesize nucleic acid?

In the 5' to 3' direction.

What is the role of helicase in DNA replication?

unwinds the DNA double helix, creating the replication fork.

What initiates DNA synthesis?

Primase generates a short RNA primer.

What is the leading strand?

The strand that is made continuously in the 5' to 3' direction.

What is the lagging strand?

The strand that is made interruptedly in the 5' to 3' direction.

What are Okazaki fragments?

The discontinuous pieces of the lagging strand.

What supplies energy for DNA replication?

Nucleotides

How is bacterial DNA replication characterized?

DNA replication is bidirectional.

What is the significance of semiconservative replication?

Each offspring cell receives one copy of the DNA molecule, preserving half of the original DNA.

What is the structure of ribonucleic acid (RNA)?

5-carbon ribose sugar and contains uracil (U) instead of thymine (T).

What is the role of ribosomal RNA (rRNA)?

is an integral part of ribosomes.

What is the function of transfer RNA (tRNA)?

transports amino acids during protein synthesis.

What does messenger RNA (mRNA) do?

carries coded information from DNA to ribosomes.

What are the steps of transcription?

Initiation, elongation, and termination.

What happens during the initiation phase of transcription?

RNA polymerase binds to the promoter sequence on DNA.

What occurs during the elongation phase of transcription?

Transcription proceeds in the direction of the growing RNA, adding ribonucleotides.

What is the termination phase of transcription?

Transcription stops when RNA polymerase reaches the terminator sequence on DNA.

What are the rules of base pairing in DNA?

A pairs with T, and G pairs with C.

What is the Central Dogma of molecular biology?

The process of DNA being transcribed to RNA, which is then translated into proteins.

What is the role of mutations in evolution?

can lead to variations that may enhance adaptation and evolution.