BIO 112

What is a unicellular organism?

An organism with 1 cell, such as bacteria or yeast.

What defines a multicellular organism?

An organism with many cells, such as fungi, plants, and animals.

What are eukaryotic cells?

Cells that have membrane-bound organelles, a nucleus, and contain multiple linear chromosomes.

Where is DNA located in eukaryotic cells?

In the nucleus.

What separates transcription and translation in eukaryotic cells?

Transcription occurs in the nucleus, and translation occurs in the cytoplasm.

What is a prokaryotic cell?

A cell that lacks a nucleus, has DNA located in the cytoplasm, and is surrounded by a single plasma membrane.

Where is genetic material concentrated in prokaryotic cells?

In the nucleoid.

What is the typical genome size of prokaryotic cells?

0.5 - 10 megabases.

What is the cell membrane's primary function?

To separate the internal environment of the cell from the external environment.

What is the cell theory?

All organisms are made of cells, the cell is the fundamental unit of life, and cells come from pre-existing cells.

What is the endosymbiont theory?

The theory that eukaryotes evolved from one cell engulfing another cell.

What is the octet rule?

The tendency for an atom to form covalent bonds until its valence shell holds eight electrons.

What occurs during a polar covalent bond?

Unequal sharing of electrons between atoms due to differences in electronegativity.

What is a phosphodiester bond?

The bond between adjacent nucleotides in DNA and RNA.

What defines the properties of phospholipids in forming micelles or bilayers?

The hydrophilicity of the phosphate-containing headgroup.

What are micelles?

A single layer of lipid monomers.

What is a bilayer?

Two sheets of lipid monomers.

What is amphipathic?

A molecule that has both hydrophobic and hydrophilic components.

What drives the spontaneous arrangement of lipids in a bilayer?

The hydrophobic effect with tails inward and heads outward towards water.

What happens to a dye when mixed with bilayer-forming phospholipids?

The dye will interact with the phospholipid heads and fill the center of the liposome.