BIO 1010 Exam 4 Review: Nucleic Acids, Cell Cycle, and Genetics

These flashcards cover key concepts related to nucleic acid structure, DNA replication, gene expression, the cell cycle, and the processes of mitosis and meiosis.

Griffith's Experiment

An experiment that demonstrated that biological heredity could be transferred between organisms.

Avery's Experiment

An experiment that identified DNA as the material of which genes and chromosomes are made.

Nucleotide

The basic building block of nucleic acids, consisting of a sugar, phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base.

Purines

Nitrogenous bases with a two-ring structure, including adenine (A) and guanine (G).

Pyrimidines

Nitrogenous bases with a single-ring structure, including cytosine (C), thymine (T), and uracil (U).

Double helix

The structure formed by double-stranded DNA molecules, resembling a twisted ladder.

Antiparallel

Referring to the opposite directional orientation of the two strands of DNA.

Hydrogen bonds

Weak bonds that hold the nitrogenous bases together between the two strands of DNA.

Covalent bonds

Strong bonds that connect the sugar and phosphate groups in the DNA backbone.

Chargaff's rules

The concept that the amount of adenine equals thymine and the amount of guanine equals cytosine in DNA.

DNA replication

The process of making an exact copy of DNA prior to cell division.

Leading strand

The DNA strand that is synthesized continuously during DNA replication.

Lagging strand

The DNA strand that is synthesized in short segments, known as Okazaki fragments, during DNA replication.

Histone proteins

Proteins that help package DNA into structural units called nucleosomes.

Central Dogma of Molecular Biology

The framework explaining the flow of genetic information from DNA to RNA to protein.

Transcription

The process of synthesizing RNA from a DNA template.

Translation

The process of synthesizing proteins using the information carried by mRNA.

Ribosome subunits

The two components of ribosomes where translation occurs; contains binding sites for tRNA.

Codon

A sequence of three nucleotides that corresponds to a specific amino acid.

Cell cycle

The series of events that lead to cell division and replication.

Mitosis

A process of cell division that results in two genetically identical daughter cells.

Meiosis

A specialized form of cell division that results in gametes with half the chromosome number.

Diploid cell

A cell containing two complete sets of chromosomes, one from each parent.

Haploid cell

A cell containing a single set of unpaired chromosomes.

Cytokinesis

The division of the cytoplasm to form two separate daughter cells after mitosis.

Crossing over

The exchange of genetic material between homologous chromosomes during meiosis, contributing to genetic variability.

Nondisjunction

The failure of homologous chromosomes or sister chromatids to separate properly during cell division.

Aneuploidy

A condition in which the number of chromosomes is not an exact multiple of the haploid number.

Binary fission

A form of asexual reproduction in single-celled organisms where a cell divides into two identical daughter cells.