DNA Vocabulary

vocab

Double helix

Shape of DNA: ladder twisted and double stranded

Backbone of DNA

Alternating between Sugar and Phosphate groups

Double helix

Shape of DNA: ladder twisted and double stranded

Backbone of DNA

Alternating between Sugar and Phosphate groups

Purines

Adenine & Guanine made up of 2 rings(Two Pure Golden Apples)

Pyrimidines

Thymine & Cytosine made up of 1 ring(The One Cat is on the Pyramid)

Adenine

One of the nitrogenous bases, connects with Thymine

Thymine

One of the nitrogenous bases, connects with Adenine

Cytosine

One of the nitrogenous bases, connects with Guanine

Guanine

One of the nitrogenous bases, connects with Cytosine

Nucleotide

Monomer of DNA

Monomer

A molecule that bonds with the same molecule to form polymers.

Polymer

Made of monomers

Replication

Process of making exact copy of DNA molecule(happens during the S phase of interphase)

DNA polymerase

Attaches new bases to the template strand

Helicase

(DNA unzipped by)Enzyme that breaks the hydrogen bonds between base pairs and strands separate. 

Ligase

(DNA unzipped by) Enzyme that glues the new bonds that form between nucleotides resulting in two identical strands.

Template strand

After DNA unzips, each strand of DNA will act as a template for the creation of a new strand.

Complementary strand

The DNA molecule will then produce TWO new complementary strands of code, following the rules of base pairing (A to T or G to C)

Semiconservative

One strand of DNA is a copy of the original DNA it came from but the other strand of DNA is new from replication.(Old, new)

Gene

A section of DNA, with many DNA that codes for a protein.

Trait

Specific characteristics of an individual.

RNA

Ribonucleic Acid: copy of DNA instructions into RNA then RNA carries info out of the nucleus to ribosomes-amino acids into proteins.

Uracil

RNA contains Uracil as a base instead of Thymine

Transcription

Process of copying part of the nucleotide sequence of DNA into a complementary sequence of RNA(info from DNA used to produce RNA)

Translation

The information of the RNA to make proteins.

mRNA

Messenger RNA: carries copies of instructions from DNA for assembling amino acids into proteins.

rRNA

Ribosomal RNA: Proteins assembled into ribosomes

tRNA

Transfer RNA: transfers each amino acid to the ribosomes based on codes in mRNA.

Central Dogma

Genetic information that flows in one direction from DNA to RNA to protein or RNA to protein.

Leading Strand

The leading strand is made continuously  by DNA polymerase, adding base one by one in the 5’ to 3’ direction.

Lagging Strand

Runs the opposite way of the leading strand.3’ to 5’ direction

Okazaki fragments

DNA polymerase can add strands in small chunks 

Phenotype

Observable traits

Codon

When the mRNA sequence is read, it’s read in 3 groups of nucleotides.

Anticodon

Amino acids are attached to a region of 3 impaired bases on the other end.

Start Codon

First codon that starts the protein synthesis. (Usually AUG)

Stop Codon

Sequence of 3 nucleotides that signals the end of protein synthesis. (UAA, UGA, UAG)

RNA polymerase

Enzyme responsible for transcribing the genetic information stored in DNA to RNA.

DNA

Deoxyribonucleic acid

RNA

Ribonucleic Acid

Mutations

Changes in DNA

Deletion

Section of DNA deleted

Substitution

Mutations that exchanges one base for another

Insertion

Extra bases inserted into the DNA

Frameshift

Insertions & Deletions that altered the message of the gene so the message is not clear. 

Detrimental effect 

Mutation that harms the survival or reproduction of the organism. 

Beneficial effect

Mutations that benefit the organism

Mutagens

Factors in the environment that cause mutations

Oncogenes

Cancer causing genes

Inversion

Part of a chromosome becomes oriented in reverse of its usual direction

Translocation

Part of a chromosome breaks off and attaches to chromosome

Point mutation

Affect only one nucleotide

Chromosomal mutation

Involve changes in whole chromosomes.