Bacterial Growth Recitation

Genes

Segments of DNA or RNA that code for functional products. These are usually proteins, but they can also be RNAs such as rRNA, transfer RNA, or micrRNA.

Chromosomes

Structures that contain DNA that physically carry the hereditary information of a being. These chromosomes contain the genes. Bacterias typically have a single circular chromosome.

Nucleotides

Repeating units in the macromolecule DNA. Each nucleotide consists of a nucleobase, deoxyribose, and a phosphate group. These nucleotides of a DNA in a cell can be microscopically visualized as a pair of twisted strands (a double helix)

Mutagens

These are agents in the environment that can cause mutations. In this lesson’s case, mutations in the DNA. Some examples are chemicals and radiation such as nitrous acid, where it can break the sequence of DNA.

DNA polymerases

Proofreads and help repair DNA

DNA gyrase (Topoisomerase)

Relaxes the supercoiling of DNA

DNA Ligase

Makes covalent bonds to join DNA strands

Helicase

Unwinds the double-stranded DNA

Primate

RNA polymerase that makes RNA primers from a DNA template

RNA polymerase

Copies RNA from a DNA template