Unit 4 – Making Proteins

What is a gene?

Determine how cell and organism function, coding region of DNA

How are genes, DNA, chromosomes, and proteins related to each other?

Genes- specific sequences on DNA

DNA- made of nucleotides, contains genes

Chromosomes- long, organized DNA molecules

Proteins- made from mRNA transcribed from genes, then translated

Direction DNA is read by RNA polymerase, direction RNA is made, direction RNA is read by a ribosome

DNA read- 3’-5’

RNA made- 5’-3’

RNA read/build- 5’-3’ , N-C

Translation, where does it start, where does it end.

Start at AUG, end at stop codon

How do different DNA point mutations impact proteins?

Silent- no change in amino acid

Conservative missense- one amino acid change, minor

Non-conservative missense- one amino acid change, severe

Nonsense- stops early

Frameshift- insertion, deletion, shifts reading frame

How did the chemical nature of biomolecules and the environment of early earth facilitate the forma on of a cell?

Simple molecules found in volcanic gases and hydrothermal vents provided building blocks

Energy sources like heat, lightning, and solar radiation drove chemical reactions Protocells, simple vesicles, formed fatty acid bilayers which were permeable allowing nucleic acids to synthesize

Evolving protocells acquired more complex membranes and activities

What is the difference between the first proto-cell and an animated live cell in terms of cell processes discussed this semester?

Protocell- simple structures, containers for replicating molecules, couldn’t differentiate

Live- complex membranes, organelles preform diverse functions, divide, differentiate, interact

Where did the endomembrane system, mitochondria, and chloroplasts of eukaryotic cells come from? How do their structures/features support this?

Endomembrane- folding of plasma membrane for envelope/ER, continuity of envelope/ER

Mitochondria-bacteria engulfed by eukaryote, endosymbiosis, DNA resembles bacteria

Chloroplast-endosymbiosis, contain photosystem I and II, originally in cyanobacteria

Why do cells transform chemical energy from various molecules into ATP?

ATP is universal energy, unstable and not stored, efficient transfer

Where does the energy to form bonds in ATP ultimately come from on planet earth?

Sunlight, chemical bonds, ATP synthesis, energy transfer

Where do the carbon atoms that make-up glucose come from? Is this the same source as the carbon atoms in the other biomolecules that build cells? Why does this make sense?

They come from CO₂ from the atmosphere

The carbon atoms in glucose are the same source

The makes sense because photosynthesis is fundamental for organic molecules

In which ways does sexual reproduction create genetic diversity? What other way is genetic diversity created? Why is this important in terms of species survival and evolution?

Crossing over, independent assortment, and random fertilization

It allows for adaption and increases survival and reproduction

What is the central dogma of biology?

DNA to RNA-transcription, RNA to Protein-translation

What is different gene expression and what factors determine when/if/how much of a gene is expressed?

Not all genes are active at all times

Controlled by TFs, epigenetic changes, chromatin condensation, and environmental signals

How do we analyze what is occurring in a cell/organism/ tissue at different stages of the central dogma (generally, don’t list or memorize names of different biotech, rather think about what they are measuring or analyzing), What does this tell us in a biological context about the cell/organism/ tissue?

Analyze DNA, which genes exist, mRNA, which being transcribed, protein, which are active

Understand what cell is doing, how it responds to environment, what stage of development or disease