Molecular Basis of Inheritance - DNA Structure

Vocabulary flashcards covering the structure of DNA, nucleotide components, and genomic specifics of various organisms based on the lecture notes.

DNA

A long polymer of deoxyribonucleotides that serves as the genetic material in most living systems.

DNA Length

The characteristic of an organism defined by the number of nucleotides or base pairs ($bp$) present in it.

$\phi 174$ Bacteriophage

A bacteriophage that has a genome consisting of $5386$ nucleotides.

Bacteriophage lambda

A bacteriophage with a DNA length of $48502$ base pairs ($bp$).

Escherichia coli

A bacterium whose DNA contains $4.6 \times 10^6\,bp$.

Haploid content of human DNA

The amount of DNA in a single set of human chromosomes, which is $3.3 \times 10^9\,bp$.

Nucleotide

A chemical structure composed of three components: a nitrogenous base, a pentose sugar (ribose or deoxyribose), and a phosphate group.

Purines

A category of nitrogenous bases that includes Adenine and Guanine.

Pyrimidines

A category of nitrogenous bases that includes Cytosine, Uracil, and Thymine.

Thymine

A nitrogenous base present specifically in DNA but absent in RNA.

Uracil

A nitrogenous base present in RNA at the place of Thymine.

N-glycosidic linkage

The bond formed between a nitrogenous base and the $OH$ of $1'C$ pentose sugar to create a nucleoside.

Nucleoside

A molecule formed by a nitrogenous base linked to a pentose sugar, such as adenosine, guanosine, cytidine, or uridine.

Phosphoester linkage

The bond that links a phosphate group to the $OH$ of $5'C$ of a nucleoside.

$3'-5'$ phosphodiester linkage

The chemical bond that joins two nucleotides together to form a dinucleotide or a longer polynucleotide chain.

$5'$ end

The end of a polynucleotide polymer that has a free phosphate group at the $5'\text{-position}$ of the sugar.

$3'$ end

The end of a polynucleotide polymer that has a free $OH$ group at the $3'\text{-position}$ of the sugar.