DNA & RNA Fundamentals (BIOL10101.2251)

Vocabulary flashcards covering key DNA/RNA concepts from Today's Important Focus Points in BIOL10101.2251 Module 1.

DNA

molecule that stores genetic information in organisms

RNA

Involved in translating genetic information and other cellular roles.

Double helix

The spiral, two-stranded structure of DNA formed by two antiparallel strands.

Nucleotide base composition

The proportions of A, C, G, and T (or U in RNA) in a genome; used to predict genome composition.

Adenine (A)

Purine base in DNA that pairs with thymine.

Thymine (T)

Pyrimidine base in DNA that pairs with adenine.

Cytosine (C)

Pyrimidine base in DNA that pairs with guanine.

Guanine (G)

Purine base in DNA that pairs with cytosine.

Chargaff's rules

In double-stranded DNA, the amounts of adenine and thymine are equal, and the amounts of cytosine and guanine are equal (A=T, C=G).

DNA replication

The process by which DNA is copied prior to cell division; disruption or interruption can lead to changes in organisms.

Gene

A basic unit of heredity—a DNA sequence that encodes a functional product (protein or RNA).

Chromosome

A DNA-containing structure that carries genes

Homologous chromosomes

Pairs of chromosomes that carry the same genes in the same order, one from each parent; may carry different alleles.

Genome

The complete set of genetic material present in an organism or cell.

Chromosome number

The characteristic number of chromosomes for a species; can vary widely between species.

Change Ts to Us in 5’ 3’ DNA strand

How to transcribe from DNA to RNA?

James Watson

An American molecular biologist, geneticist, and zoologist, co-credited with the discovery of the double helix structure of DNA in 1953 with Francis Crick.

Francis Crick

A British molecular biologist, biophysicist, and neuroscientist, co-credited with the discovery of the double helix structure of DNA in 1953 with James Watson.

Rosalind Franklin

A British chemist and X-ray crystallographer whose work (notably Photo 51) provided crucial data that led to the understanding of the structure of DNA.

Maurice Wilkins

A British biophysicist who shared the Nobel Prize with Watson and Crick for their discoveries concerning the molecular structure of nucleic acids and its significance for information transfer in living material. His work with Rosalind Franklin on X-ray diffraction images of DNA was pivotal.

Purine

A type of nitrogenous base in nucleic acids with a double-ring structure.

Pyrimidine

A type of nitrogenous base in nucleic acids with a single-ring structure.

Prokaryotic cell

Typically has one strand of DNA, in circular forms