(Exam 2) - Chapter 3: Genetics and Cell Biology

Gregor Mendel’s assumption that allowed him to predict patterns of inheritance

each trait is determined by a pair of inherited factors (genes)

allele

one copy gene inherited by each parent

genotype

genetic makeup

phenotype

physical appearance

diploid

contains 2 copies of each chromosome

haploid

contains 1 copy of each chromosome

genes on different chromosomes are inherited:

independent of one another (segregated)

genes on the same chromosome are inherited:

together (linked)

DNA structure

double helix

semiconservative replication

one strand of parental DNA is conserved in each progeny DNA molecule

(broad) function of DNA polymerase

forms a new DNA strand by adding nucleotides to the existing DNA template strand

number of strands in RNA

one single strand

RNA sugar

ribose

base replaced by uracil in RNA

thymine

transcription

RNA synthesis from DNA template

translation

protein synthesis from RNA template

(broad) function of RNA polymerase

synthesis of messenger RNA (mRNA) from a DNA template

function of ribosomal RNA (rRNA)

site of protein synthesis

function of transfer RNA (tRNA)

align amino acids along the mRNA template

retroviruses

group of viruses that synthesis DNA from RNA in infected cells

reverse transcriptase

experimental; generates DNA from an RNA template

restriction endonuclease

cleaves DNA at specific sequences

plasmid function

cloning DNA inserts of up to a few thousand base pairs

plasmid origin of replication (ori)

DNA sequence that signals host DNA polymerase to start replication

gene transfer

introducing cloned DNA into plant and animal cells (for studying gene function)

transfection

method of gene transfer using infectious viral DNA