What is DNA?

• What are the two main components of DNA structure discussed?

  Nucleotides and complementary base pairing
• What shape does DNA form?

  Double helix
• How can we visualize one strand of DNA?

  As a 2D diagram laid out flat
• What are the building blocks of DNA called?

  Nucleotides
• What three parts make up a nucleotide?

  Phosphate, sugar, and base
• How many different types of bases are there in DNA?

  Four
• What do the letters A, T, C, and G stand for?

  Adenine, thymine, cytosine, guanine
• What forms the sugar phosphate backbone of DNA?

  Phosphate of one nucleotide bonds to sugar of another
• What is the protective outer casing of DNA?

  Sugar phosphate backbone
• What holds the two strands of DNA together?

  Complementary base pairing
• Which bases pair together in DNA?

  A pairs with T, C pairs with G
• If a DNA strand reads A G T G C T T A C, what is the first base of the complementary strand?

  T
• What is the genetic code?

  The sequence of bases in DNA
• What is a gene?

  A sequence of bases coding for a protein
• What is a triplet in the context of DNA?

  A group of three bases
• How does a triplet relate to amino acids?

  Each triplet codes for a specific amino acid
• What happens to the amino acids coded by DNA?

  They combine in order to form a protein
• Why do proteins have unique shapes?

  Different sequences of amino acids
• What are the main uses of proteins?

  Enzymes, hormones, and structural proteins
• What are the steps for how DNA codes for a protein?

  1. Cells read DNA as triplet codes.
  2. Amino acids are combined in order.
  3. The chain of amino acids folds into a protein.
• What roles do proteins play in the body?

  • Enzymes: speed up chemical reactions
  • Hormones: carry messages
  • Structural proteins: add strength to cells