Biology 1st Year Nucleic Acids

Vocabulary flashcards for Biology 1st Year Nucleic Acids

Nucleic Acids

DNA and RNA, the most important molecules in biology, containing the genetic code.

DNA

Deoxyribonucleic acid, contains the instructions that make every single living organism.

RNA

Ribonucleic acid, a close relative of DNA, also involved in the genetic code.

Nucleotides

Monomers that compose nucleic acids (DNA and RNA).

Phosphoric Acid

One of the three parts of a nucleotide.

Deoxyribose

A pentose sugar found in DNA nucleotides.

Ribose

A pentose sugar found in RNA nucleotides, contains a hydroxyl group (OH) attached to carbon 2.

Nitrogenous Base

One of the three parts of a nucleotide.

Purines

Adenine and Guanine, nitrogenous bases with two rings of carbon.

Pyrimidines

Cytosine and Thymine, nitrogenous bases with a single ring of carbon.

Uracil

A nitrogenous base that replaces thymine in RNA.

Phosphodiester Bonds

Strong, covalent bonds linking nucleotides together in a polynucleotide chain.

Sugar-Phosphate Backbone

The structural framework of nucleic acids, formed by phosphodiester bonds.

Anti-parallel Strands

DNA strands that run in opposite directions (5' to 3' and 3' to 5').

Complementary Base Pairs

Specific base pairings in DNA: Adenine (A) with Thymine (T), and Cytosine (C) with Guanine (G).

Replication

The process of copying DNA every time a cell divides.

Expression

The process by which genes on DNA control characteristics through proteins.

Gene

A section of DNA that codes for a particular protein.

Transcription

The making of an RNA molecule off a DNA template.

Translation

The construction of an amino acid sequence (polypeptide) from an RNA molecule.

Genome

The sum total of all the genes in an organism.

Semi-conservative Replication

DNA replication where half of the DNA molecules are newly synthesized.

Helicase

Enzyme that unwinds the double helix structure of DNA.

DNA Polymerase

Enzyme that synthesizes new strands of DNA by adding nucleotides to the 3' end.

DNA Ligase

Enzyme that joins Okazaki fragments during DNA replication.

Primase

Enzyme that synthesizes short RNA sequences called primers, which serve as a starting point for DNA synthesis.

Okazaki Fragments

Short fragments of DNA synthesized on the lagging strand during DNA replication.

Telomeres

Repeated DNA sequences on the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes.

Telomerase

Enzyme that produces telomeres, using an RNA template to produce a DNA primer.

Replisome

The complex of enzymes responsible for DNA replication, consisting of the primosome and two DNA polymerase III molecules.