DNA quiz

Adenine

A nitrogenous base found in DNA and RNA, adenine pairs with thymine in DNA and with uracil in RNA, playing a crucial role in the encoding of genetic information.

Anti-parallel

describes the orientation of the two strands of DNA, which run in opposite directions, enabling base pairing.

Base-pairing

is the specific hydrogen bonding between adenine and thymine or cytosine and guanine that holds the two strands of DNA together.

Chromatin

is a complex of DNA and proteins found in the nucleus of eukaryotic cells, which condenses to form chromosomes during cell division.

Codon

is a sequence of three nucleotides in mRNA that corresponds to a specific amino acid or a stop signal during protein synthesis.

Covalent bonds

are strong chemical bonds formed between atoms when they share electron pairs, crucial for linking nucleotides in the DNA backbone.

Cytosine

is one of the four main bases found in DNA and RNA, pairing with guanine and playing a key role in the genetic code.

DNA

is the molecule that carries the genetic instructions for life, consisting of a double helix structure made up of nucleotides.

DNA polymerase

is the enzyme responsible for synthesizing new DNA strands by adding nucleotides to a growing chain during DNA replication.

Gene

is a segment of DNA that contains the instructions for building a specific protein or functional RNA molecule, playing a crucial role in heredity and the regulation of biological functions.

Guanine

is one of the four primary nucleobases in DNA, pairing with cytosine and playing a key role in the structure of the genetic code.

Helicase

is an enzyme that unwinds the DNA double helix during replication, separating the two strands to allow access for DNA polymerase.

Hydrogen bonds

are weak interactions that form between complementary nucleobases in the DNA double helix, stabilizing the structure.

Nucleotide

is the basic building block of DNA and RNA, consisting of a sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base.

Phosphate Group

is a component of nucleotides that consists of a phosphorus atom bonded to four oxygen atoms. It contributes to the backbone structure of DNA and RNA.

Nitrogenous Base

base is a component of nucleotides that contains nitrogen and acts as the code for genetic information in DNA and RNA, pairing with complementary bases.

Replication

is the process by which DNA makes an identical copy of itself, ensuring that genetic information is accurately transmitted during cell division.

Semi-Conservative

replication is a method of DNA replication in which each new DNA molecule consists of one old strand and one new strand.

Thymine

is a nitrogenous base found in DNA that pairs with adenine. It is one of the four major bases that make up the genetic code.

RNA

is a nucleic acid that plays a crucial role in protein synthesis and acts as a messenger carrying instructions from DNA.

Uracil

is a nitrogenous base found in RNA that pairs with adenine. It replaces thymine found in DNA.

Describe the structure of DNA

DNA has a double helix structure composed of two long strands of nucleotides, which include a phosphate group, a sugar (deoxyribose), and nitrogenous bases (adenine, thymine, cytosine, and guanine). The strands are held together by hydrogen bonds between complementary base pairs.

Describe the difference and similarities between DNA & RN

A major difference is that DNA is double-stranded while RNA is single-stranded. Both nucleic acids consist of nucleotides but differ in their sugar molecules (deoxyribose in DNA and ribose in RNA) and the nitrogenous base uracil in RNA replaces thymine found in DNA.

what is the purpose of DNA replication

The purpose of DNA replication is to create an exact copy of a cell's DNA before cell division, ensuring that each new cell receives the same genetic information.

Explain the function of Helicase and DNA Polymerase in DNA replication

Helicase unwinds the DNA double helix by separating the two strands, while DNA polymerase synthesizes new strands by adding complementary nucleotides to the existing template strands during replication.