S.2.2 Describe the relationship between genetic material and the structure of proteins

A set of vocabulary flashcards derived from the lecture notes on genetic material, focusing on the structures of DNA and RNA and the processes of protein synthesis.

DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid)

A macromolecule that contains genes which are the coded instructions for a cell to produce proteins; it is structured as a double helix or twisted ladder.

RNA (Ribonucleic acid)

A single chain of ribose sugar-containing nucleotides that controls the intermediate steps involved in protein synthesis and acts as a messenger for DNA instructions.

Genes

Segments of DNA that can code for specific proteins or regulate the making of proteins; they vary in size from a few hundred DNA bases to more than a million bases.

Chromosomes

Structures consisting of tightly coiled DNA that winds around histone proteins; humans have $46$ chromosomes and dogs have $78$ chromosomes.

Prokaryotic Chromosomes

A single circular chromosome found in organisms like bacteria.

Eukaryotic Chromosomes

Multiple linear chromosomes found in organisms with cells that contain nuclei.

Structural Genes

Genes that are converted into a short-lived RNA message ($mRNA$) that is decoded by ribosomes and assembled into proteins to build structures.

Regulatory Genes

Genes that control the expression of protein-coding genes by turning activity on or off directly or through a protein intermediate.

DNA Nucleotide Bases

The four bases that make up the rungs of the DNA ladder: $A$ (adenine), $T$ (thymine), $G$ (guanine), and $C$ (cytosine).

Codon

A sequence of three nucleotides that codes for a specific amino acid or a stop signal during protein synthesis.

Ribosomes

Organelles that assemble proteins from amino acids in the order specified by the codons of a gene.

Complementary Base Pairs

Specific pairings where $A$ (adenosine) always pairs with $T$ (thymine) via two hydrogen bonds, and $G$ (guanine) always pairs with $C$ (cytosine) via three hydrogen bonds.

Chromatids

Two identical copies of chromosomes made before a cell replicates.

Sense Strand

The DNA strand that runs in the $5'$ to $3'$ direction and contains the coded information.

Anti-sense Strand

The DNA strand that runs in the $3'$ to $5'$ direction and is used as the template in DNA replication and transcription.

Mutation

A permanent change in the nucleotide sequence of DNA that can arise during replication by substitution, deletion, or insertion of base pairs.

RNA Nucleotides

The four nucleotides in RNA: adenine, uracil, guanine, and cytosine, where uracil replaces thymine.

Transcription

The first stage of protein synthesis involving the synthesis of RNA from a DNA template, copying the instructions from DNA to $mRNA$.

Translation

The stage of protein synthesis where $rRNA$ in ribosomes attaches to the $mRNA$ strand to decode instructions and assemble a peptide chain.

Transfer RNA (tRNA)

The type of RNA that transfers amino acids to the ribosome subunit and delivers the anticodon complement to the $mRNA$ codon.

Ribosomal RNA (rRNA)

A catalytic RNA that binds matched amino acids together via a peptide bond to form a protein.

mRNA

Type of rna that is an exact copy of the template strand of dna except thymine is replaced with uracil

Carries info to the cytoplasm where protein synthesis occurs

How many pairs of chromosomes do humans have

23 for a total of 46