General Biology II Lecture Notes

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to genetic biology, as discussed in the lecture.

DNA

A molecule that carries genetic information in the form of sequences of nucleotides.

Alkaptonuria

A genetic disorder caused by the absence of an enzyme needed to break down alkapton, leading to dark urine.

Mutagen

An agent that causes changes in the DNA sequence, which can lead to mutations.

Auxotrophs

Mutants that cannot synthesize certain essential molecules and require specific nutrients for growth.

One gene-one enzyme hypothesis

The theory that each gene encodes the production of a specific enzyme.

Transcription

The process by which messenger RNA (mRNA) is synthesized from a DNA template.

Translation

The process of synthesizing proteins from mRNA at the ribosome.

Introns

Non-coding regions of a gene that are transcribed but not translated into protein.

Exons

Coding regions of a gene that are expressed as proteins.

Alternative splicing

The process by which different combinations of exons are joined together to produce multiple protein variants from a single gene.

Electrophoresis

A laboratory technique used to separate DNA molecules based on their size.

Variable Number of Tandem Repeats (VNTRs)

Repeating sequences of DNA that vary in length between individuals, often used in DNA fingerprinting.

RNA processing

The modifications made to RNA after transcription, including capping, polyadenylation, and splicing.