BackGeneral Biology: Genetics and Molecular Biology
08:09
Terms in this set (20)
Gregor Mendel is known as the father of genetics for discovering the basic principles of heredity through pea plant experiments.
A gene is a segment of DNA that contains the instructions to make a specific protein or RNA molecule.
DNA is composed of nucleotides, each containing a sugar, phosphate group, and one of four nitrogenous bases: adenine, thymine, cytosine, or guanine.
The central dogma describes the flow of genetic information: DNA is transcribed into RNA, which is then translated into protein.
Transcription is the process where a DNA sequence is copied into messenger RNA (mRNA) by RNA polymerase.
mRNA carries the genetic code from DNA in the nucleus to the ribosomes in the cytoplasm for protein synthesis.
Translation is the process where ribosomes read mRNA codons to assemble amino acids into a polypeptide chain (protein).
A codon is a sequence of three nucleotides on mRNA that specifies a particular amino acid.
Mendel's laws explain how genes are inherited independently and segregate during gamete formation.
In DNA, adenine pairs with thymine via two hydrogen bonds.
In RNA, adenine pairs with uracil instead of thymine.
RNA polymerase synthesizes RNA by reading the DNA template strand.
tRNA brings specific amino acids to the ribosome matching its anticodon to the mRNA codon.
A phenotype is the observable physical or biochemical characteristics of an organism determined by its genotype and environment.
A genotype is the genetic makeup of an organism, the specific alleles it carries.
An allele is a variant form of a gene that can produce different traits.
The genetic code is nearly universal, meaning most organisms use the same codons to specify amino acids, allowing gene transfer between species.
Ribosomes are the molecular machines that facilitate the assembly of amino acids into proteins by reading mRNA.
DNA is double-stranded with deoxyribose sugar and thymine; RNA is single-stranded with ribose sugar and uracil.
A mutation is a change in the DNA sequence that can affect gene function and lead to variation or disease.