biology- unit 8 vocab

RNA

(Ribonucleic Acid) Single-stranded nucleic acid that contains the sugar ribose.

Transcription

Synthesis of an RNA molecule from a DNA template.

DNA

The hereditary material in humans and almost all other organisms.

Base Pairing

Consists of two complementary DNA nucleotide bases that pair together to form a “rung of the DNA ladder.”

Telomeres

A region of repetitive DNA sequences at the end of a chromosome that becomes slightly shorter each time the cell divides

Inversion

A chromosomal defect in which a segment of the chromosome breaks off and reattaches in the reverse direction.

RNA Polymerase

Enzyme that links together the growing chain of RNA nucleotides during transcription using a DNA strand as a template.

Nitrogenous base

A molecule that contains nitrogen and has the chemical properties of a base.

Nucleotide

Form the basic structural unit of nucleic acids such as DNA and RNA.

Promoter

Specific region of a gene where RNA polymerase can bind and begin transcription.

Intron

Sequence of DNA that is not involved in coding for a protein.

Exon

Expressed sequence of DNA; codes for a protein.

DNA Polymerase

a type of enzyme that is responsible for forming new copies of DNA, in the form of nucleic acid molecules.

Translation

Process by which the sequence of bases of mRNA is converted into the sequence of amino acids of a protein.

Frameshift Mutation

Mutation that shifts the “reading frame” of the genetic message by inserting or deleting a nucleotide.

Mutation

Change in the genetic material of a cell.

Transformation

 Process of horizontal gene transfer by which some bacteria take up foreign genetic material (naked DNA) from the environment.

Point Mutation

Gene mutation in which a single base pair in DNA has been changed.

Double Helix

The structure formed by double-stranded molecules of nucleic acids such as DNA. 

Deletion

Type of mutation that involves the loss of one or more nucleotides from a segment of DNA. 

Replication

The biological process of producing two identical replicas of DNA from one original DNA molecule.