Chapter 3 Nucleic Acids and the Encoding of Biological Information

Translation is the process by which:

ribosomes synthesize protein from information in an RNA molecule.

Complete the following sentence. An exon is ____________.

part of an intact, mature mRNA that leaves the nucleus

The type of RNA that physically interacts with a ribosome, providing the sequence information for a specific protein, is abbreviated:

mRNA.

In the spiral staircase analogy of DNA structure, each railing represents a ____________.

sugar-phosphate backbone, and each step represents a pair of nitrogenous bases

Which of the following correctly indicates the complementary base pairing of adenine in DNA and RNA?

adenine with thymine in DNA and with uracil in RNA

Deoxyribonucleic acid is used for: (choose all that apply)

transmission of information. storage of information.

RNA polymerase can do which one of the following?

•Restore the original DNA strands •Allow RNA-DNA hybrids to form •Release a finished RNA transcript from a DNA template •Separate DNA strands

Which of the following is true of DNA?

A purine always forms a complementary base pair with a pyrimidine.

The central dogma of molecular biology states that information flows from:

DNA to RNA to protein.

RNA makes up the genome of many different viruses, and it was probably the first information molecule in evolutionary history. Yet, cells use DNA as the primary molecule for the storage of genetic information. What features of DNA make it a more suitable informational archive than RNA? (More than one answer may be correct.)

Double-stranded DNA facilitates rapid and accurate replication of the information. The -H group on the 2′ carbon of deoxyribose is less reactive than the -OH on the same carbon of ribose.

Is the following statement about DNA and RNA true or false? RNA is the primary long-term storage molecule for genetic information in eukaryotic cells.

False

Is the following statement about DNA and RNA true or false? The DNA and RNA molecules in a cell are copied by replication before a cell divides.

False

Is the following statement about DNA and RNA true or false? The nitrogenous base thymine is present in DNA and RNA, while uracil is present only in RNA.

False

Which of the following correctly lists the components necessary for prokaryotic and eukaryotic transcription?

RNA polymerase, general transcription factors, DNA, and RNA nucleotides

Complete the following sentence. An intron is ____________.

RNA that is removed during the processing of an RNA molecule and remains inside the nucleus

In which one of the following cellular processes is RNA involved?

Transcription DNA replication Transcription and translation Translation

Is the following statement about DNA and RNA true or false? DNA is a double-stranded molecule, and RNA is single-stranded.

True

True or False: some RNA molecules possess catalytic activity

True