Molecular Biology Review

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to DNA structure, replication, and protein synthesis.

Double Helix

The shape of DNA, consisting of two intertwined strands.

Cytosine

A nitrogenous base that pairs with Guanine in DNA.

Semiconservative Replication

A process of DNA replication where one old strand and one new strand are present in each DNA molecule.

Helicase

The enzyme responsible for splitting DNA strands during replication.

Thymine

A nitrogenous base in DNA that pairs with Adenine.

Sugar-Phosphate Backbone

The structural framework of nucleic acids, composed of sugar and phosphate groups.

Covalent Bonds

The type of bonds that hold together the sugar and phosphate backbone in DNA.

Rosalind Franklin

A scientist known for her work in X-ray diffraction, producing Photo 51 which contributed to the discovery of DNA's structure.

Interphase

The phase of the cell cycle when DNA replication occurs.

DNA Polymerase

The enzyme responsible for synthesizing new DNA strands during replication.

Amino Acids

The building blocks of proteins.

Uracil

A nitrogenous base found in RNA that replaces Thymine found in DNA.

Nucleotide

The monomer unit of DNA, consisting of sugar, phosphate, and a base.

Nitrogenous Bases

The components that make up the 'rungs' of the DNA ladder.

Hydrogen Bond

The type of bond that holds together the bases of a DNA molecule.

Antiparallel

The arrangement of the two strands of DNA that run in opposite directions.

Complementary Base Pair Rule

The principle that A pairs with T and C pairs with G in DNA.

Ligase

The enzyme that 'glues' together Okazaki fragments during DNA replication.

20

The number of different types of amino acids.

Transcription

The process of copying genetic information from DNA to RNA.

mRNA

The type of RNA that carries protein information from DNA to the ribosomes.

tRNA

The type of RNA that transfers amino acids to the growing polypeptide chain during protein synthesis.

rRNA

The type of RNA that makes up the ribosome.

Watson and Crick

Scientists credited with creating the first accurate model of DNA's structure.

Translation

The process of synthesizing proteins based on the information carried by mRNA.