(L.2) 4| Meiosis and DNA Replication Vocabulary

A complete set of vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and definitions from meiosis and DNA replication lecture notes.

Reductional division

A division process occurring during meiosis that transitions a cell from diploid to haploid.

Meiosis I

The stage of meiosis during which duplicated homologous chromosome pairs synapse and then separate.

Meiosis II

The stage of meiosis during which sister chromatids separate, becoming daughter chromosomes.

Semiconservative Replication

A mode of DNA replication resulting in two identical daughter molecules, each containing one original (parental) DNA strand and one newly synthesized DNA strand.

Helicase

An enzyme that breaks the hydrogen bonds between complementary base pairs holding two DNA strands together, effectively unzipping the DNA.

Single strand binding (SSB) proteins

Proteins that bind to each complementary strand of separated DNA to prevent them from base pairing and reforming a double helix.

Origins of replication

Specific regions where the separation of DNA strands occurs during DNA replication.

DNA Primase

An enzyme, known as an RNA polymerase, that synthesizes short RNA primers.

RNA primers

Short segments of RNA $10\text{ to }15$ nucleotides long that initiate replication by serving as binding sites for DNA Polymerase.

DNA Polymerase

An enzyme that binds to RNA primers and synthesizes new complementary strands of DNA using nucleotides (nucleoside triphosphate).

DNA Polymerase Reading Direction

The direction in which DNA polymerase reads or scans the template DNA strand, which is from the $3'$ to $5'$ direction.

DNA Polymerase Synthesis Direction

The direction in which DNA polymerase works, copies, and synthesizes a new strand of DNA, which is from the $5'$ to $3'$ direction.