DNA Structure

• What happens to enzymes when they are denatured?

  Hydrogen and ionic bonds are disrupted
• How does pH affect enzyme activity?

  It alters hydrogen and ionic bonding
• What is hydrolysis?

  Breaking down larger molecules with water
• How do you test for non-reducing sugars?

  Run Benedict's test after HCl treatment
• Why do enzymes have high specificity?

  Due to their specific primary protein sequence
• What is the structure of a DNA molecule?

  A double helix made of polynucleotide chains
• What is a gene?

  A section of DNA coding for traits
• What are chromosomes?

  Thread-like structures carrying genes
• What is mitosis?

  Asexual cell division forming identical cells
• What is an allele?

  A version of a particular gene
• What are stem cells?

  Undifferentiated cells
• What is meiosis?

  Cell division producing gametes
• What does it mean for a cell to be differentiated?

  It is specialized for a particular function
• What are the components of a nucleotide?

  • Pentose sugar
  • Phosphoric acid
  • Organic base
• What is the difference between DNA and RNA?

  DNA contains deoxyribose, RNA contains ribose
• What are the four bases in DNA?

  Adenine, guanine, cytosine, thymine
• What type of bond joins the base and sugar in a nucleotide?

  A glycosidic bond
• What type of bond joins the phosphate and sugar in a nucleotide?

  An ester bond
• What is a phosphodiester bond?

  The bond formed between nucleotides' sugar and phosphate
• What is the sugar-phosphate backbone?

  The structure formed by phosphodiester bonds
• What is complementary base pairing?

  Purines pair with pyrimidines in DNA
• Which bases pair together in DNA?

  A pairs with T, C pairs with G
• How many hydrogen bonds form between A and T?

  Two hydrogen bonds
• How many hydrogen bonds form between C and G?

  Three hydrogen bonds
• What is the complementary DNA strand for 5'-TACGATCATAT-3'?

  3' -ATGCTAGTATA- 5'
• What is the role of DNA polymerase?

  It helps create a new DNA strand
• At which end does DNA polymerase bind?

  At the 3’ end of DNA
• In which direction does DNA polymerase read the DNA strand?

  Towards the 5’ end
• What are the adaptations of DNA for its function?

  • Sugar-phosphate backbone provides strength
  • Coiling allows compact shape
  • Sequence of bases stores information
  • Many hydrogen bonds provide stability
  • Double helix protects weak hydrogen bonds
  • Allows easy unzipping for replication/transcription