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Helicase
Unwinds the DNA double helix by breaking hydrogen bonds
Topoisomerase
Prevents supercoiling ahead of the replication fork
Single-Strand Binding Proteins
Prevent separated DNA strands from reannealing
Primase
Adds RNA primer to start DNA replication
DNA Polymerase III
Adds nucleotides to the new DNA strand (5’ to 3’)
DNA Polymerase I
Replaces RNA primers with DNA
Ligase
Seals gaps between Okazaki fragments
RNA Polymerase
Synthesizes mRNA from DNA template
Transcription Factors
Help RNA polymerase bind to promoter
Helicase (transcription)
Unwinds DNA to form transcription bubble
Spliceosome
Removes introns and joins exons
snRNPs
Help spliceosome cut out introns
Poly(A) Polymerase
Adds poly-A tail to mRNA’s 3’ end
Capping Enzymes
Add 5’ cap to mRNA
Ribosome
Assembles proteins by reading mRNA
DNA replication
The process by which a cell copies its DNA before cell division
Leading Strand
Continuous replication in the 5’ to 3’ direction
Lagging Strand
Discontinuous replication with Okazaki fragments
Conservative Replication
Original DNA stays intact, new molecule is fully new
Semi-Conservative Replication
Each DNA has one old strand and one new strand
Dispersive Replication
DNA is a mix of old and new fragments throughout both strands
Transcription
DNA is copied into mRNA in the nucleus
Translation
Ribosomes read mRNA to build proteins in the cytoplasm
Promoter
Region where RNA polymerase binds to start transcription
Operator
On/off switch that controls access to genes by binding repressors
Regulatory gene
Codes for repressor protein that controls the operon
Repressor
Protein that binds to the operator to block transcription
TATA box
A repeating DNA sequence in the promoter that helps position RNA polymerase for transcription
Transcription bubble
Opened section of DNA where RNA polymerase reads the template strand to make mRNA
Phosphodiester bonds
Strong covalent bonds that link nucleotides together in DNA and RNA strands.
Template strand
The DNA strand used as a guide to build mRNA during transcription
Alternative Splicing
Creates different mRNAs by including/excluding exons
Messenger RNA (mRNA)
Carries genetic instructions from DNA to ribosomes
Ribosomal RNA (rRNA)
Forms the ribosome and helps assemble proteins
Transfer RNA (tRNA)
Brings amino acids to the ribosome based on mRNA codons
5’ Cap
Added to mRNA to protect it and help ribosome binding
Poly-A Tail
Added to mRNA’s end to stabilize and export it from nucleus
A site
Holds incoming tRNA with an amino acid
P site
Holds tRNA with the growing polypeptide chain
E site
Where empty tRNA exits the ribosome
Codon
A 3-nucleotide sequence on mRNA that codes for a specific amino acid (e.g. AUG = start/methionine)
Anticodon
A 3-nucleotide sequence on tRNA that pairs with the mRNA codon to bring the correct amino acid
Retroviruses
Viruses that have RNA as their genetic material and use reverse transcriptase to convert RNA into DNA
Reverse Transcriptase
An enzyme that converts RNA into DNA
Operons
Clusters of genes in prokaryotes that work and are regulated together
Inducible Operon
An operon that is normally off but can be turned on by an inducer (e.g., lac operon)
Repressible Operon
An operon that is normally on but can be turned off by a repressor (e.g., trp operon)
Tryptophan
A type of amino acid used in the trp operon; its presence can turn off the operon
Euchromatin
Loosely packed chromatin that is active in gene expression.
Heterochromatin
Tightly packed chromatin that is usually inactive and not expressed
Histone Proteins
Proteins that help package DNA into a compact form
Epigenetics
Study of changes in gene expression without altering the DNA sequence
miRNA
Small RNA molecules that regulate gene expression by binding to mRNA and preventing translation.
siRNA
Small interfering RNA that helps degrade mRNA and prevents gene expression
Induction
The process by which one cell or tissue influences the development of another
Morphogenesis
The process by which cells and tissues develop into their correct shape and size
Transcriptional Co-repressors
Proteins that bind to repressors and help turn off gene transcription
Transcription Factors (TFs)
Proteins that help initiate or regulate gene transcription
Point Mutations
A change in a single nucleotide in the DNA sequence
Silent Mutation
A mutation that does not change the amino acid sequence
Missense Mutation
A mutation that changes one amino acid in the protein sequence
Nonsense Mutation
A mutation that introduces a premature stop codon, leading to a truncated protein
Insertions and Deletions
Mutations where nucleotides are added (insertion) or removed (deletion), which can cause frameshift mutations
Transformation
The process by which a cell takes up foreign DNA from its environment
Transduction
The process by which a virus transfers DNA between bacteria
Conjugation
The process by which bacteria transfer genetic material through direct contact
DNA Cloning
The process of making multiple copies of a specific DNA fragment
Gel Electrophoresis
A technique used to separate DNA, RNA, or proteins based on size and charge
PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction)
A method to amplify (make many copies of) a specific DNA segment
Biopiracy
The unethical use of biological resources or traditional knowledge from indigenous communities without fair compensation