PRMS 8th Grade Science - DNA
How do the bases bond together?
A bonds with T and G bonds with C.
What is a gene?
A gene is a segment of DNA
Introns or junk DNA
A lot of DNA apparently is nonsense and codes for nothing. These regions of DNA that do not code for proteins are called introns or junk DNA.
What makes up a nucleotide?
A nucleotide is made up of a nitrogen base, a sugar, and a phosphate group.
What is a nucleotide?
A nucleotide is made up of a nitrogen base, a sugar, and a phosphate group. DNA's twisted zipper shape is because of molecules called nucleotides.
Why do you think Adenine always pairs with Thymine and Guanine always pairs with Cytosine?
Adenine always pairs with Thymine and Guanine always pairs with Cytosine because they are chemically attracted to each other.
How do some cells become brain cells and others become skin cells when the DNA in all cells is exactly the same?
Cells can block out other directions.
What are genes?
Chromosomes are composed of genes, which is a segment of DNA that codes for a particular protein which in turn codes for a trait. Hence you hear it commonly referred to as the gene for baldness or the gene for blue eyes.
Where in the cell are chromosomes located?
Chromosomes are located in the nucleus.
What are chromosomes made out of?
Chromosomes are made of DNA and proteins
What are chromosomes?
Chromosomes are microscopic, threadlike strands composed the chemical DNA, deoxyribonucleic acid.
DNA can be found in what 2 organelles?
DNA can be found in mitochondria and chloroplasts?
What is the function of DNA?
DNA controls the production of proteins within the cell.
What is DNA?
DNA controls the production of proteins within the cell. The cells in turn form the structural units of cells and control all chemical processes within the cell. DNA is the chemical that genes and chromosomes are made of.
Where is DNA found?
DNA is called a nucleic acid because it was first found in the nucleus. DNA is also found in organelles, the mitochondria and chloroplasts. It is the DNA in the nucleus that actually controls the cell's workings.
What is DNA made of?
DNA is made of repeating units called nucelotides.
What is the shape of DNA?
DNA is shaped like a twisted ladder.
Messenger RNA
DNA is too big to go through the nuclear pores so a chemical is used to read the DNA in the nucleus. The chemical is Messenger RNA, which is small enough to go through the nuclear pores.
What happens when DNA replicates?
DNA needs to copy itself when a cell divides so that the new cells each contain a copy of the DNA. Without these instructions, the new cells would not have the correct information.
How does DNA replicate itself during Interphase?
DNA replicates itself during Interphase by making an exact copy.
Double Helix
Double Helix is the term used to describe the structure of DNA. When isolated from a cell and stretched out, DNA looks like a twisted ladder, called a double helix.
Why is DNA called the "Blueprint of Life"?
Every cell in your body has the same blueprint, or the same DNA. The DNA blueprint tells the cell how to build the organism. A cell has the ability to turn off most genes and only work with the genes necessary to do a job.
Who was the first scientist to discover nucleic acids?
Friedrich Miescher
What are Nucleotides?
If chromosomes are unwound completely you will be left with a single strand of DNA. Specific segments on the DNA are called nucleotides. Each nucleotide consists of 3 molecules: a sugar, a phosphate which links the sugars together, and then one of the four bases.
Which 2 scientists built a model that showed how the double helix structured DNA?
James Watson and Francis Crick built a model of DNA.
Which 2 scientists established the structure of DNA?
James Watson and Francis Crick established the structure of DNA.
How does Messenger RNA compare to DNA?
Messenger RNA is similar to DNA except that it is a single strand, and it has no thymine. Instead of thymine, mRNA contains the base Uracil. In addition to that difference, mRNA has the sugar ribose instead of deoxyribose.
Which nitrogen bases always bond together?
Nitrogen bases A, adenine and T, thymine always bond together. Nitrogen bases C, cytosine and G, guanine always bond together.
Which of the nitrogen bases pair together?
Nitrogen bases A, adenine and T, thymine always bond together. Nitrogen bases C, cytosine and G, guanine always bond together. The nitrogen bases always attach to the backbone of the sugar, deoxyribose.
Where in the cell are proteins made?
Proteins are made in the nucleus.
What are proteins?
Proteins are the building blocks for an organism. Proteins make up your skin, hair, parts of individual cells. How you look is largely determined by the proteins that are made. The proteins that are made are determined by the sequence of DNA in the nucleus.
What are purines?
Purines are Adenine and Guanine.
What are pyrimidines?
Pyrimidines are Thymine and Cytosine.
Where is RNA found?
RNA is found in the nucleus
Why is RNA necessary to act as a messenger? Why can't the code be taken directly from the DNA?
RNA necessary to act as a messenger and the code be taken directly from the DNA because the code is not in the DNA.
What does RNA stand for?
RNA stands for Ribonucleic Acid.
If you were to make a model of RNA, how would it compare to your DNA model? How would it be the same? How would it be different?
RNA would look like a half DNA model but RNA does not do the same things as DNA. DNA has Thymine and RNA has Uracil. DNA is double stranded and RNA is single stranded.
What holds the nitrogen bases together in a real DNA molecule?
Sugar molecules hold the nitrogen bases together in a real DNA molecule.
What is the "Base-Pair Rule"?
The "Base-Pair Rule" is when Adenine, A will only bond to Thymine, T and Guanine, G will only bond with Cytosine, C. The bases can occur in any order along a strand of DNA. The order if these bases is the code that contains the instructions. A strand of DNA contains millions of bases.
What are the 2 purines in DNA?
The 2 purines in DNA are adenine and guanine.
Name the 2 scientists who discovered the structure of DNA.
The 2 scientists who discovered the structure of DNA are Rosalind Franklin and Maurice Wilkins.
How are the 2 sides of the DNA ladder held together?
The 2 sides of the DNA ladder are held together loosely by hydrogen. The DNA can actually unzip when it needs to replicate or make a copy of itself.
What are the 2 types of nucleic acid?
The 2 types of nucleic acid are DNA and RNA.
What are the 3 parts of a nucleotide?
The 3 parts of a nucleotide are a nitrogen base, a sugar, and a phosphate group.
What are the 4 nitrogen bases?
The 4 nitrogen bases that make up the rungs of the DNA double helix are A, adenine , C, cytosine, T, thymine, and G, guanine.
What are the 4 nitrogenous bases that make up the rungs or "the teeth" of the DNA double helix?
The 4 nitrogen bases that make up the rungs of the DNA double helix are A, adenine , C, cytosine, T, thymine, and G, guanine.
Describe the shape of a DNA model.
The DNA looks like a ladder.
Messenger RNA to the DNA
The Messenger RNA takes the "message" of the DNA to the ribosomes and then tells them what proteins are to be made. Proteins are the body's building blocks. Imagine that the code taken to the ribosomes is telling the ribosome what is needed, like a recipe.
What is the full name of DNA?
The full name of DNA is Deoxyribonucleic Acid.
What kind of information is contained in DNA?
The kind of information contained in DNA is the blueprint of the body.
The nucleus is the control center of the cell
The nucleus controls the cells activities through the chemical DNA. It is the sequence of bases that determine which protein is to be made and the proteins determine which activities will be performed. That is how the nucleus is the control center of the cell.
What is the Nucleus?
The nucleus is a small, spherical, dense body in a cell. It is often called the "Control center" because it controls all the activities of the cell including cell reproduction and heredity.
Exons
The sections of DNA that do actually code from proteins are called exons.
What 2 things make up the "backbone" of a DNA molecule?
The sides of the DNA ladder are called the backbone. They are made up of alternating units of phosphate and deoxyribose, a sugar.
What are the sides of the DNA ladder made of?
The sides of the DNA ladder are made of alternating sugar, or deoxyribose, and phosphate molecules.
What is the spiral shape of DNA referred to?
The spiral shape of DNA is called a double helix which is like a twisted zipper.
What are the steps or rungs of the DNA molecule
The steps or rungs of the DNA ladder are pairs of small chemicals called nitrogen bases.
What sugar is found in DNA?
The sugar found in DNA is deoxyribose.
What sugar is found in RNA
The sugar found in RNA is ribose.