How Genes Work: Central Dogma and Protein Synthesis Chapter 16 (copy)

What does the central dogma of molecular biology summarize?

The flow of information in cells: DNA codes for RNA, which codes for proteins.

What is a gene?

A stretch of DNA that codes for proteins.

What is transcription?

The process of using a DNA template to make a complementary RNA.

What is translation?

The process of using the information in mRNA to synthesize proteins.

What is the sequence of RNA that corresponds to the DNA coding strand 5' ATG-CCG-TTT-TAC-GAC-CCT-TAA 3'?

5' AUG-CCG-UUU-UAC-GAC-CCU-UAA 3'.

What is the polypeptide chain produced from the RNA sequence 5' AUG-CCG-UUU-UAC-GAC-CCU-UAA 3'?

Met-Pro-Phe-Try-Asp-Pro-STOP.

What are the characteristics of the genetic code?

Redundant, unambiguous, non-overlapping, nearly universal, and conservative.

What does it mean that the genetic code is redundant?

All but two amino acids are encoded by more than one codon.

What does it mean that the genetic code is unambiguous?

One codon never codes for more than one amino acid.

What does it mean that the genetic code is non-overlapping?

Codons are read one at a time.

What does it mean that the genetic code is nearly universal?

All codons specify the same amino acids in all organisms, with a few minor exceptions.

What does it mean that the genetic code is conservative?

If several codons specify the same amino acid, the first two bases are usually identical.

What is the template strand of DNA for the coding strand 5' ATG-CCG-TTT-TAC-GAC-CCT-TAA 3'?

3' TAC-GGC-AAA-ATG-CTG-GGA-ATT 5'.

What is the role of mRNA in translation?

It provides the information to synthesize proteins.

What is the significance of the start and stop codons in DNA?

They signal the beginning and end of protein synthesis.