Nucleic Acids, Amino Acids and Protein Production

Flashcards covering key concepts related to nucleic acids, amino acids, and the process of protein production.

Start Codon

The codon that signals the start of translation, which is always methionine (AUG).

Stop Codon

Codons that do not code for an amino acid and signal the end of translation.

Universal Genetic Code

The genetic code that is shared by all living organisms.

Degenerate Genetic Code

Refers to the redundancy in the genetic code, where multiple codons can code for the same amino acid.

DNA

A double-stranded nucleic acid that contains the genetic blueprint for an organism.

mRNA

Messenger RNA, a single-stranded nucleic acid that carries the code from DNA to the ribosomes for protein synthesis.

tRNA

Transfer RNA, a single-stranded RNA molecule that transports amino acids to the ribosome during translation.

Peptide Bond

The bond formed between amino acids in a protein.

Transcription

The process of copying a segment of DNA into RNA.

Translation

The process by which the sequence of mRNA is decoded to produce a polypeptide chain.

Exon

The coding sequences in a gene that are expressed in the final mRNA product.

Intron

The non-coding sequences in a gene that are removed during RNA processing.

RNA Polymerase

The enzyme responsible for synthesizing RNA from a DNA template during transcription.

Ribosome

Cellular structures that facilitate the translation of mRNA into polypeptides.

Alternative Splicing

A process by which different combinations of exons are joined together to produce multiple mRNA variants from a single gene.

Amino Acid

The building blocks of proteins, each specified by a codon.

Codon

A sequence of three nucleotides in mRNA that codes for a specific amino acid.

Anticodon

A sequence of three bases in tRNA that is complementary to the codon in mRNA.

Proteins

Molecules composed of one or more polypeptides that perform a wide range of functions in living organisms.

Golgi Apparatus

A cellular organelle involved in the modification, sorting, and packaging of proteins and lipids.

Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER)

A network of membranes involved in protein and lipid synthesis, with rough ER being studded with ribosomes.

Hydrolysis

The chemical breakdown of a compound due to reaction with water, often involved in breaking down biomolecules.