CHAPTER 8: GENES TO PROTEINS

What is the product of transcription?

RNA

"A gene contains many chromosomes. Each chromosome encodes a protein." Is this statement accurate? if not, explain why, and rewrite it to make it correct.

This statement is inaccurate. Chromosomes contain genes, and genes encode protein. A correct statement would be: "A chromosome contains many genes. Each gene encodes one or more proteins."

A gene has a sequence ATCGATTG. What is the sequence of the complementary RNA?

UAGCUAAC

What is the final product of gene expression?

a protein.

A protein is made up of a chain of ______________?

amino acids

Why is recombinant protein production in milk of transgenic animals an efficient strategy?

because milk is secreted, so the protein can be obtained non invasively; because milk is produced in relatively large quantities; because mammary glands naturally secrete large quantities of protein into milk; and because milk is easier to obtain than other secretions (urine, sweat, saliva).

What are the down sides to GMOs?

harm to non-target organisms; changes to the surrounding eco-system; power concentrated over food; economic change favors changes to food system; effecting farmers lack of transparency.

What are the ups to GMOS?

increase yields; less waste; longer shelf life; use less pesticides.

RECOMBINANT GENE

is a genetically engineered gene.

PROTEIN

is a macromolecule made up of repeating subunits knows as amino acids, which determine the shape and function of a protein. Proteins play many critical roles in living organism.

GENE

is a sequence of DNA that contains the information to make at least one protein.

CODON

is a sequence of THREE mRNA nucleotides that specifies a particular amino acid.

GENE THERAPY

is a treatment that aims to cure humans disease by replacing defective genes with functional ones.

TRANSFER RNA (tRNA)

is a type of RNA that transports amino acids to the ribosome during translation.

ALLELES

is alternative versions of the same gene that have different nucleotide sequence.

GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISM (GMO)

is an organism that has been genetically altered by humans.

MESSENGERS RNA (mRNA)

is the RNA copy of an original DNA sequence made during transcription.

RIBOSOME

is the cellular machinery that assembles proteins during translation.

RNA POLYMERASE

is the enzyme that carries out transcription. RNA polymerase copies a strand of DNA into a complementary strand of mRNA.

TRANSCRIPTION

is the first stage of gene expression, during which cells produce molecules of messengers RNA (mRNA) from the instructions encoded within genes in DNA.

REGULATORY SEQUENCE

is the part of a gene that determines the timing, amount, and location of protein production.

CODING SEQUENCE

is the part of a gene that specifies the amino acid sequence of a protein. Coding sequences determine the identity, shape, and the function of proteins.

ANTICODON

is the part of a tRNA molecule that binds to a complementary mRNA codon.

GENETIC ENGINEERING

is the process of assembling new genes with novel combinations of regulatory and coding sequences.

GENE EXPRESSION

is the process of using DNA instructions to make proteins.

TRANSLATION

is the second stage of gene expression, during which mRNA sequences are used to assemble the corresponding amino acids to make a protein.

GENETIC CODE

is the set of rules relating particular mRNA codons to particular amino acids.

What are proteins made up of and what do they determine?

made up of amino acids; determine shape and function.

TRANSGENIC

refers to an organism that carries one or more genes from a different species.

AMINO ACIDS

the building blocks of proteins. There are 20 different amino acids.

What determines a proteins functions?

the sequence of amino acids, and the three-dimensional shape of the folded proteins.

THROMBOSIS

us a condition where people with little or no functional antithrombin carry high risk of developing blood clots inside blood vessels.