BIO 100 Complete Lab Exam Study Guide

Flashcards created from BIO 100 lecture notes covering key concepts, definitions, and processes in biology.

Central Dogma

The flow of genetic information: DNA → RNA → Protein.

Transcription

The process of making RNA from DNA, occurring in the nucleus.

Translation

The process of making protein from RNA, occurring at ribosomes in the cytoplasm.

Gel Electrophoresis

A technique that separates DNA fragments by size using electricity.

Autoclaving

A sterilization method using high pressure steam at 121°C for 15-30 minutes.

LB Media

Luria-Bertani medium used for bacterial growth containing tryptone, yeast extract, NaCl, and agar.

Micropipettes

Laboratory tools used to measure and transfer small volumes of liquid.

PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction)

A technique to amplify specific DNA sequences exponentially.

Taq Polymerase

Heat-stable enzyme used in PCR that synthesizes new DNA strands.

Ligation

The process of joining two DNA fragments together using DNA ligase.

Transformation

The introduction of plasmid DNA into bacterial cells.

Blue-White Screening

A method to identify successful cloning by coloring colonies based on lacZ gene integrity.

STR (Short Tandem Repeats)

Repeating sequences in DNA used for identity matching in forensic biology.

E-value

A value used in BLAST to evaluate the significance of the match; lower is better.

Restriction Enzymes

Molecular scissors that cut DNA at specific sequences.

DNA Ladder

A standard mix of known size DNA fragments used as a reference in gel electrophoresis.

Gram Staining

A method to classify bacteria based on their cell wall properties using crystal violet and other reagents.

Agarose Gel

The medium used in gel electrophoresis to separate DNA fragments by size.

Nanodrop

A spectrophotometer used to measure DNA concentration and purity.

Mitosis

The process of nuclear division in eukaryotic cells, resulting in two identical daughter cells.

Codon

A sequence of three RNA nucleotides that corresponds to a specific amino acid.