Question | Answer |
bacteriophage | virus that infects bacteria |
nucleotide | monomer that forms DNA and has a phosphate group, a sugar, and a nitrogen-containing base |
double helix | model that compares the structure of a DNA molecule, in which two strands wind around one another, to that of a ladder |
base pairing rules | rules that describe how nucleotides form bonds in DNA; adenine (A) always bonds with thymine (T), and guanine (G) always bonds with cytosine (C) |
replication | process by which DNA is copied |
DNA polymerase | enzyme that makes bonds between nucleotides, forming an identical strand of DNA during replication |
central dogma | theory that states that, in cells, information only flows from DNA to RNA to proteins |
RNA | nucleic acid molecule that allows for the transmission of genetic information and protein synthesis |
transcription | process of copying a nucleotide sequence of DNA to form a complementary strand of mRNA |
RNA polymerase | enzyme that catalyzes the synthesis of a complementary strand of RNA from a DNA template |
messenger RNA (mRNA) | form of RNA that carries genetic information from the nucleus to the cytoplasm, where it serves as a template for protein synthesis |
ribosomal RNA (rRNA) | RNA that is in the ribosome and guides the translation of mRNA into a protein; also used as a molecular clock |
transfer RNA (tRNA) | form of RNA that brings amino acids to ribosomes during protein synthesis |
translation | process by which mRNA is decoded and a protein is produced |
codon | sequence of three nucleotides that codes for one amino acid |
stop codon | codon that signals to ribosomes to stop translation |
start codon | codon that signals to ribosomes to begin translation; codes for the first amino acid in a protein |
anticodon | set of three nucleotides in a tRNA molecule that binds to a complementary mRNA codon during translation |
promoter | section of DNA to which RNA polymerase binds, starting the transcription of mRNA |
operon | section of DNA that contains all of the code to begin transcription, regulate transcription, and build a protein; includes a promoter, a regulatory gene, and a structural gene |
exon | sequence of DNA that codes information for protein synthesis |
intron | segment of a gene that does not code for an amino acid |
mutation | change in the DNA sequence |
point mutation | mutation that involves the substitution of only one nucleotide |
frameshift mutation | mutation that involves the insertion or deletion of a nucleotide in the DNA sequence |
mutagen | agent that can induce or increase the frequency of mutation in organisms |