Molecular Biology and Linear Equations

Flashcards covering key concepts in molecular biology and linear equations.

Where is hereditary information stored in a cell?

Hereditary information is primarily stored in the cell's nucleus in the form of DNA.

How is hereditary information stored in a molecule?

Hereditary information is stored in the sequence of nucleotides within DNA molecules.

Describe the structure of DNA.

DNA has a double helix structure, consisting of two long strands made up of nucleotides that wind around each other, with sugar and phosphate backbones and nitrogenous bases connecting the two strands.

What is the monomer of DNA?

The monomer of DNA is the nucleotide.

Where is hereditary information stored in a cell?

Hereditary information is stored in the nucleus of a cell.

How is hereditary information stored in a molecule?

Hereditary information is stored in the sequence of nucleotides in DNA.

Describe the structure of DNA.

DNA is a double helix composed of two strands that wind around each other, made up of nucleotides.

What is the monomer of DNA?

The monomer of DNA is the nucleotide.

What are the three parts of a nucleotide?

A nucleotide consists of a phosphate group, a sugar (deoxyribose), and a nitrogenous base.

What are the four bases of DNA?

The four bases of DNA are adenine (A), thymine (T), cytosine (C), and guanine (G).

Given a strand of DNA, how do you produce a complementary strand?

To produce a complementary strand, pair A with T and C with G.

What is the importance of DNA replication?

DNA replication is crucial for cell division, ensuring each daughter cell receives an identical copy of DNA.

What happens to each copy after DNA replication?

After replication, one copy remains with the original cell, while the other is passed to the daughter cell.

What are major enzymes needed for DNA replication?

Major enzymes include DNA helicase (unwinds the DNA), DNA polymerase (adds new nucleotides), and DNA ligase (joins Okazaki fragments).

What is the difference between the leading and lagging strand?

The leading strand is synthesized continuously, while the lagging strand is synthesized in fragments.

Define semiconservative replication.

Semiconservative replication is the process where each new DNA molecule consists of one original strand and one newly synthesized strand.

What are the two ways ATP is generated in cellular respiration?

ATP is generated through substrate-level phosphorylation and oxidative phosphorylation.

What is the general function of cellular respiration?

The function of cellular respiration is to convert biochemical energy from nutrients into ATP.

Write the overall equation for cellular respiration.

C6H12O6 + 6O2 → 6CO2 + 6H2O + ATP.

Compare and contrast cellular respiration with photosynthesis.

Cellular respiration produces ATP through the breakdown of glucose, while photosynthesis converts solar energy into glucose.

Identify the three phases of aerobic cellular respiration and where each occurs.

The three phases are glycolysis (cytoplasm), the Krebs cycle (matrix of the mitochondria), and the electron transport chain (inner mitochondrial membrane).

What happens during glycolysis?

During glycolysis, glucose is broken down into two molecules of pyruvate, yielding a small amount of ATP and NADH.

Where may the products of glycolysis go next in the process?

The products of glycolysis (pyruvate) may enter the Krebs cycle if oxygen is present.

Explain the steps of protein synthesis.

Protein synthesis involves transcription (copying DNA to mRNA) and translation (reading mRNA to synthesize proteins).

What is the genetic code?

The genetic code is the set of rules by which information encoded in mRNA is translated into proteins.

What are start and stop codons?

Start codons signal the beginning of protein synthesis (AUG), while stop codons signal the end (UAA, UAG, UGA).

Define mutation.

A mutation is a change in the DNA sequence that can lead to changes in protein structure or function.

Identify two types of mutagen.

Chemical mutagens and radiation are two types of mutagens that can cause mutations.

Define and differentiate between substitutions, insertions, and deletions.

Substitutions replace one nucleotide, insertions add a nucleotide, and deletions remove a nucleotide from the DNA sequence.

Explain the possible effects of mutations.

Effects can range from no change (silent mutations) to altered protein function (missense mutations) or premature termination (nonsense mutations).

Differentiate between silent, missense, and nonsense mutations.

Silent mutations do not change the amino acid, missense mutations change one amino acid, and nonsense mutations create a stop codon.