The Enzymatic Synthesis of Nucleic Acids and the DRT3 Defense Mechanism

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts related to the enzymatic synthesis of nucleic acids and the defensive role of reverse transcriptases in bacteria.

Nucleic Acid Polymerases

Enzymes that synthesize nucleic acids, classified into template-directed and template-independent polymerases.

Template-Directed Polymerases

Polymerases that copy existing nucleic acid sequences to create new strands.

Template-Independent Polymerases

Polymerases that synthesize nucleic acids without a nucleic acid template, often producing products of lower complexity.

Eukaryotic Nucleotidyltransferase RDE-3

An enzyme that adds alternating poly(UG) tracts onto RNA to facilitate interference.

Defense-Associated Reverse Transcriptases (DRTs)

Enzymes in bacteria that synthesize nucleotides in response to phage infections and contribute to antiviral defense.

Ribonucleoprotein Complex (RNP)

A complex formed by proteins and RNA, which, in the context of DRT3, synthesizes specific DNA products.

Poly(GT/AC) Double-Stranded DNA

The DNA synthesized by DRT3 consisting of alternating GT and AC sequences.

Cryo-Electron Microscopy (Cryo-EM)

A technique used to determine the structure of biomolecules at high resolution, employed to study the DRT3 complex.

Active Site Mutations

Alterations in key amino acids in an enzyme's active site that affect its catalytic function and DNA synthesis ability.

Phylogenetic Analysis

The study of the evolutionary relationships among various biological species or entities using genetic data.