Nucleotide and Nucleic Acids

• What type of information does DNA hold?


  Genetic information
• What is the role of RNA in relation to DNA?


  RNA transfers genetic information from DNA to ribosomes
• What are the two types of nucleic acids mentioned?

  DNA and RNA
• What are the components of a DNA nucleotide?


  Deoxyribose, a phosphate group, and one of the organic bases adenine, cytosine, guanine, or thymine
• What are the components of an RNA nucleotide?


  Ribose, a phosphate group, and one of the organic bases adenine, cytosine, guanine, or uracil
• How do nucleotides join together?


  By phosphodiester bonds formed in condensation reactions
• What is the structure of a DNA molecule?

  A double helix composed of two polynucleotides
• How does RNA differ from DNA in terms of structure?


  RNA is a relatively short single polynucleotide chain
• What is ATP?


  Adenosine triphosphate, a nucleotide derivative
• What components make up ATP?


  Ribose, adenine, and three phosphate groups
• What happens when ATP is hydrolysed?


  Energy is released to form ADP and a phosphate molecule
• What is the role of inorganic phosphate released from ATP hydrolysis?


  It can be used to phosphorylate other compounds, making them more reactive
• How is ATP produced during photosynthesis and respiration?


  By the condensation of ADP and inorganic phosphate catalysed by ATP synthase
• What is the purpose of semi-conservative replication of DNA?


  To ensure genetic continuity between generations of cells
• What is the genetic code?


  The order of bases on DNA
• What does each triplet of bases in the genetic code represent?


  A particular amino acid, known as a codon
• What are introns and exons?


  Introns are non-coding sections of DNA, while exons are coding regions
• What are the features of the genetic code?


  Non-overlapping, degenerate, contains start and stop codons for protein synthesis
• What is the effect of mutations on the genetic code?


  They can alter the amino acid sequence and the protein, potentially causing harmful effects
• What are the two stages of protein synthesis?


  Transcription and translation
• What occurs during transcription?


  Hydrogen bonds break and DNA uncoils; one DNA strand is used as a template by RNA polymerase
• What is the role of tRNA during translation?


  tRNA collects amino acids from the cytoplasm and carries them to the ribosome
• How does tRNA attach to mRNA during translation?


  By complementary base pairing
• What happens to the amino acids attached to tRNA during translation?


  They join by peptide bonds and tRNA detaches from them
• What is the process of translation until a stop codon is reached?


  mRNA attaches to a ribosome; tRNA brings amino acids to the ribosome; peptide bonds form between amino acids
• What is the role of genes in DNA?


  Genes are sections of DNA that code for proteins or other molecules
• Where does transcription take place?


  In the nucleus
• Where does translation occur?


  On ribosomes within the cytoplasm
• What is the relationship between transcription and translation in protein synthesis?


  Transcription copies DNA into RNA, followed by translation using RNA as a template to make a protein
• What happens during transcription in the nucleus?


  DNA serves as a template for the formation of mRNA