Molecular and Cellular Biology Study Guide

Flashcards for Molecular and Cellular Biology Objective Assessment Study Guide

How are monomers bonded together to form macromolecules?

Monomers are bonded together to form macromolecules through dehydration reactions, where a water molecule is removed.

How are the bonds between monomers of macromolecules disrupted?

The bonds between monomers of macromolecules are disrupted by hydrolysis, where a water molecule is added.

What are the four basic biological macromolecules?

Carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids, and proteins.

What are the four levels of protein structure?

Primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary structure.

What are the steps in the cell cycle and what occurs in each step?

G1, S, G2, and M phase. G1 involves cell growth and preparation for DNA replication. S phase involves DNA replication. G2 involves further growth and preparation for mitosis. M phase involves mitosis and cytokinesis.

How do the major checkpoints of the cell cycle help regulate cell division?

The major checkpoints of the cell cycle are G1-S, G2-M, and metaphase-anaphase. These checkpoints ensure that the cell cycle progresses correctly and prevent errors.

How are cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases involved in the regulation of the cell cycle?

Cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases regulate the cell cycle by phosphorylating target proteins that promote cell cycle progression.

How are disruption of mitosis and cell cycle checkpoints involved in the development of cancer?

Disruption of mitosis and cell cycle checkpoints can lead to uncontrolled cell division and the development of cancer.

What are the steps in DNA replication?

DNA replication involves the unwinding of the DNA double helix, synthesis of new DNA strands using DNA polymerase, and proofreading to ensure accuracy.

What are the roles of leading strand, lagging strand, Okazaki fragments, ligase, DNA polymerase, DNA helicase, and RNA primer in replication?

Leading strand: synthesized continuously; Lagging strand: synthesized discontinuously in Okazaki fragments; Ligase: joins Okazaki fragments; DNA polymerase: synthesizes new DNA; Helicase: unwinds DNA; Primase: synthesizes RNA primers.

What are the steps that occur during transcription?

Initiation, elongation, and termination.

What are the roles of RNA polymerase, promoter, and transcription factors in transcription?

RNA polymerase: synthesizes RNA; promoter: region where RNA polymerase binds; transcription factors: proteins that help RNA polymerase bind to the promoter.

What are the roles of 5' cap, 3' poly(A) tail, introns, exons, and spliceosome in mRNA processing?

5' cap: protects mRNA from degradation; 3' poly(A) tail: increases mRNA stability; introns: non-coding regions; exons: coding regions; spliceosome: removes introns.

What are the steps that occur during translation?

Initiation, elongation, and termination.

What are the roles of codon, anticodon, ribosome, A site, P site, E site, tRNA, and amino acid in translation?

Codon: a sequence of three nucleotides that codes for an amino acid; anticodon: sequence on tRNA that binds to mRNA codon; ribosome: site of protein synthesis; tRNA: carries amino acids to ribosome.