AP Biology Molecular Genetics Flashcards

9828334591	DNA ligase	A linking enzyme essential for DNA replication and recombinant DNA techniques	0
9828334592	Histones	proteins around which eukaryotic DNA is tightly coiled in chromatin	1
9828334593	Transcription	The synthesis of RNA using DNA as a template (takes place in the nucleus)	2
9828334594	Messenger RNA	(produced during transcription) It carries the genetic message of DNA to the protein-making machinery of the cell in the cytoplasm, the ribosome	3
9828334595	RNA Polymerase	An enzyme that separates the two DNA strands and connects the RNA nucleotides as they base-pair along the DNA template strand (can only add RNA nucleotides to the 3' end of strand, so RNA elongates in the 5' to 3' direction	4
9828334596	Promoter	Specific region of a gene where RNA polymerase can bind and begin transcription	5
9828334597	Terminator	The DNA sequence that signals the end of transcription	6
9828334598	Transcription Factors	Assist the bind of RNA polymerase to the promoter and thus the initiation of transcription	7
9828334599	Introns	Noncoding segments of nucleic acid that lie between coding sequences.	8
9828334600	Exons	expressed sequence of DNA; codes for a protein	9
9828334601	snRNA	Found only in the nucleus of eukaryotes and functions to remove introns from mRNA	10
9828334602	Ribozyme	RNA enzyme that removes introns and splices exons together	11
9828334603	Operon	set of prokaryotic operator and promoter sites and the structural genes they control	12
9828334604	Regulatory Genes	Produce repressor proteins that bind to the operatore site (when regulatory protein occupies operator site RNA polymerase is blocked and operon is off)	13
9828334605	Repressible Operon	Normally on but can be inhibited; repressor protein produced by the regulatory gene is inactive	14
9828334606	Inducible Operon	An operon that is normally off but can be activated and is normally catabolic	15
9828334607	DNA methylation	The addition of methyl groups to DNA which causes DNA to be more tightly packaged, reducing gene expression	16
9828334608	Histone Acetylation	Acetylation of histone "loosens" DNA so that it can be transcribed.	17
9828334609	Recombinant DNA	DNA that has been artificially made using DNA from different sources	18
9828334610	Gene cloning	The process by which scientists can produce multiple copies of specific segments of DNA that they can work with in the lab	19
9828334611	Restriction Enzymes	Used to cut strands of DNA at specific locations	20
9828334612	Sticky end	The single stranded end of DNA when restriction enzymes cut it (can form hydrogen bonds with complementary single-stranded pieces of DNA) DNA ligase(an enzyme) can seal those two single-stranded pieces	21
9828334613	Prokaryotic DNA traits	no introns, not in nucleus, circular, one chromosome, plasmids	22
9828334614	Eukaryotic DNA traits	histones, introns, linear, more than one chromosome, chromatin	23
9828334615	electrophoresis	technique used in laboratories in order to separate DNA/RNA, proteins based on size	24
9828334616	plasmid	Bacterial genes outside the main chromosome	25
9828334617	transformation	genetic alteration of a cell resulting from the direct uptake of genetic material from its surroundings through the cell membrane	26
9828334618	micro RNA	a RNA fragment that prevents the production of a particular protein by binding to and destroying the messenger RNA that would have produced the protein.	27
9828334619	RNAi	RNA molecules inhibit gene expression or translation, by neutralizing targeted mRNA molecules	28
9828334620	cytoplasmic determinants	regions of the cytoplasm accumulate chemicals whose distribution is heterogenic. They play a role in development of the embryo's organs. Each type of cell is determined by a particular determinant	29
9828334621	pattern formation	generation of cell fates in space and time controlled by genes. Morphogenesis.	30
9828334622	PCR	technique used to amplify DNA generating millions of copies of a particular DNA sequence	31
9828334623	hox gene	a group of genes that control the body plan of an embryo along the head-tail axis. Hox proteins determine the type of appendages or vertebrae that will form on a segment	32
9828334624	transposon	a DNA sequence that can change position within a genome, sometimes creating or reversing mutations and altering the cell's genetic identity and genome size.	33
9828334625	p53 gene	halts the cell cycle when the cell is need of repair.	34
9828334626	reverse transcriptase	An enzyme used by retroviruses that catalyzes the synthesis of DNA on an RNA template.	35
9828334627	cDNA	Complementary strand of DNA synthesized from an RNA template by the enzyme reverse transcriptase.	36
9828334628	induction	The process by which neighboring cells can influence the determination of a cell.	37
9828334629	inducer	A specific small molecule that inactivates the repressor in an operon.	38
9828334630	activator	A protein that binds to DNA and stimulates transcription of a specific gene.	39
9828334631	transduction	Transfer of genes between bacteria by bacteriophages.	40