How Does DNA Work?
RNA
A nucleic acid consisting of a chain of RNA nucleotides strongly bonded together.
RNA transcript
A piece of RNA that contains the same information as a gene in the template strand. An RNA transcript is used by a ribosome as a blueprint for making a protein molecule.
Promoter
A sequence of nucleotides that signals the beginning of a gene. An RNA Polymerase molecule bind to a promoter at the start of transcription.
Stop Codon
A specific DNA codon which signals the end of every gene.
Codon
A string of three nucleotides in either the template strand of a DNA molecule or in an RNA transcript. A codon stands for one amino acid, except for the stop codons.
Enzyme
A type of protein that can make and/or break chemical bonds among atoms and molecules
If given a sequence of DNA in a template strand or cover strand, and a copy of the DNA genetic code, be able to state the specific amino acid sequence that the coding strand indicates.
AAA and AAG = Phenylalanine AAT, AAC, GAA, GAG, GAT, and GAC = Leucine TAA, TAG, and TAT = Iseoleucine TAC = Methionine CAA, CAG, CAT, and CAC = Valine AGA, AGG, AGT, AGC, TCA, and TCG = Serine GGA, GGG, GGT, and GGC = Proline TGA, TGG, TGT, and TGC = Threonine CGA, CGG, CGT, and CGC = Alanine ATA and ATG = Tyrosine GTA and GTG = Histidine GTT and GTC = Glutamine TTA and TTG = Asparagine TTT and TTC = Lysine CTA and CTG = Aspartic Acid CTT and CTC = Glutamic Acid ACA and ACG = Cysteine ACC = Tryptophan GCA, GCG, GCT, GCC, TCT, and TCC = Arginine CCA, CCG, CCT, and CCC = Glycine ATT, ATC, and ACT = Stop Codon
What are the names of the four RNA nucleotides?
Adenine, Cytosine, Guanine, and Uracil
If given an RNA transcript, be able to state how many codons are in that sequence, and how many amino acids that sequence represents.
The Genetic Code of the DNA strand is the same as the RNA transcription
Translation
The process of making a protein molecule, based upon the instructions in an RNA transcript.
Transcription
The process of making an RNA transcript of a gene
Cover strand
The strand in DNA which is not read during transcription. It protects the template strand and indicates how to repair any damage that does occur to it.
Template strand
The strand in a DNA molecule which carries the code for proteins, and is read during transcription.
What is translation and what role do ribosomes play in it?
Translation is the linkage of amino acids together, according to the instructions in an RNA transcript. Ribosomes are complex protein making 'factories' that carries out the process of translation.
If given an RNA transcript and a copy of the Genetic Code in RNA codons, be able to state that specific amino acid sequence that the transcript indicates.
UUU, UUC = Pheylalanine UUA, UUG, CUU, CUC, CUA, CUG = Leucine AUU, AUC, AUA = Isoleucine AUG = Methionine GUU, GUC, GUA, GUG = Valine UCU, UCC, UCA, UCG, AGU, AGC = Serine CCU, CCC, CCA, CCG = Proline ACU, ACC, ACA, ACG = Threonine GCU, GCC, GCA, GCG = Alanine UAU, UAC = Tyrosine CAU, CAC = Histidine CAA, CAG = Glutamine AAU, AAC = Asparagine AAA, AAG = Lysine GAU, GAC = Aspartic Acid GAA, GAG = Glutamic Acid UGU, UGC = Cytesine UGG = Trytophan CGU, CGC, CGA, CGG, AGA, AGG = Arginine GGU, GGC, GGA, GGG = Glycine UAA, UAG, UGA = Stop
Gene Expression
Using a Gene to make a protein, through the processes of transcription and translation.
What are the most common kinds of proteins, and what are their purposes?
Enzymes are the most common kinds of proteins and they are used to keep you alive and break up food in your digestive system.
If given a sequence of DNA in a template strand, be able to state how many codons are in that sequence, and how many amino acids that sequence represents.
Every 3 letter word is one Codon. Even group of 3 letter words is one amino acid.
RNA nucleotides
Four small molecules that are chemically very similar to DNA nucleotides. They can be strongly bonded together to make RNA. The nucleotides ofRNA are adenine (A), Uracil (U), Guanine (G), and Cytosine (C).
Explain three ways in which RNA is similar to DNA.
1. Both of them are nucleic acids. 2. Both of them are polymers of nucleotides. 3. Both are composed of nucleotides. 1. Weak bonding of the nucleotides across their middles also make them the same.
What two items do ribosomes take into themselves, and why?
1. They take in AMINO ACIDS. They use a set of instructions called an RNA transcript to turn the amino acids into a product. The product is a protein molecule. 2. They also take in RNA Transcript to make hundreds of molecules with strong chemical bonds.
Ribosome
A ' Factory' that carries out translation. It's complex structure made of various proteins and strands of RNA.
Why must the codon 'words' of DNA consist of the three nucleotides? Why not one or two?
One or two DNA letters are not enough for a combination to make up 20 words for the 20 amino acids available.
What are promoters and stop codons, and how do they relate to genes?
Promoter Codon: says where the gene starts. Variable and complicated. Can vary in length and in their actual sequence of nucleotides. Can sometimes signal the start of more than one gene. Stop Codon: ATT, ATC, and ACT : Tells the gene where to end. Located at the end of a DNA sequence
What product comes out of a ribosome?
Protein molecules are the products from ribosomes
At the beginning of the transcription, what part of the template strand does RNA Polymerase bind to?
RNA Polymerase binds to the PROMOTER in front of a gene
What is the product of transcription, and what will happen to this product?
RNA Polymers - will become important proteins for the body
If given a sequence of nucleotides from a cover strand, template strand, or RNA transcript, be able to state what the corresponding sequence would be in the other two strands.
RNA Transcript is exactly like the Cover strand of the DNA. It is derived from the DNA Template strand.
What are the weak bonding rules among RNA and DNA nucleotides?
RNA cytosine can weakly bond with RNA guanine. RNA adenine can weakly bond with RNA uracil.
Discuss all the actions of an RNA Polymerase during transcription.
RNA polymerase can make, and break any of the weak bonds among DNA and RNA molecules. RNA Polymerase can weakly bond a DNA cytosine to a DNA guanine. It can also weakly bond a DNA cytosine to an RNA guanine. RNA Polymerase can also BREAK any of these bonds. 1. RNA Polymerase UNZIPS the DNA cover strand from the template strand. 2. RNA Polymerase will take the free RNA nucleotides and bind them along the entire length of the DNA template strand. 3. RNA Polymerase has made a strand of RNA 4. RNA Polymerase will unzip the RNA strand from the template strand (Strong bonds of the RNA will keep it from falling apart as the strand is zipped off) 5. Strand of RNA is called an RNA Transcript, which is a POLYMER of RNA nucleotides 6. RNA Polymerase zips up the DNA back together again 7. Promoter codon is not transcribed, but the stop codon is
What are ribosomes composed of?
Ribosomes are made of protein molecules and RNA molecules.
If given a sequence of DNA in a template strand or cover strand, be able to state what the corresponding sequence would be when it is transcribed into an RNA transcript.
Should be opposite nucleotides RNA becomes the cover strand and copies from the Template strand RNA Polymerase
What are the roles of the template strand and the cover strand?
Template Strand: Used for making proteins. Cover Strand: Used to protect the properties of the DNA's double stranded structure in case any repair is needed to be made.
During transcription, what happens to the cover strand, the template strand, and the unbound RNA nucleotides?
The Cover Strand is unzipped from the Template Strand during transcription by the RNA Polymerase. The unbound nucleotides are bounded to the entire length of the template strand, resulting in the RNA nucleotides being bonded weakly to the RNA uracil nucleotides.
Do all organisms use the same genetic code?
Yes, all cells, regardless of whether they come from your body or another organism, they speak the same language. There is only one language in life and all cells speak it.
RNA Polymerase
an enzyme that carries out the process of transcription
