Transcription/Translation Quiz Study Guide

  1. What is the Central Dogma of Molecular Biology?

DNARNAProtein

  1. List the similarities and differences between DNA molecules and nucleotides and RNA molecules and nucleotides.

SimilaritiesDifferences

1. Both made of chains of nucleotides1. RNA is single stranded. DNA is double helix

2. RNA has nitrogenous base uracil

3. DNA has nitrogenous base Thymine

4. DNA has Deoxyribose sugar

5. RNA has Ribose sugar

  1. Draw an RNA nucleotide.
  1. What are the three major types of RNA? What are the functions of each?

mRNA

Most genes contain instructions for assembling amino acids into proteins.The RNA molecules that carry copies of these instructions are known as messenger RNA (mRNA) because they serve as the messenger from DNA to the rest of the cell

rRNA

Ribosomes are made of proteins as well as a form of RNA known as Ribosomal RNA (rRNA).

tRNA

During the construction of proteins, a third type of RNA molecule transfers each amino acid to the ribosomes as it is specified by coded messages in the mRNA. These RNA molecules are known as Transfer RNA (tRNA).

  1. What is the main enzyme that transcribes DNA into RNA?

RNA Polymerase

  1. How does RNA polymerase know where to start and stop?

RNA polymerase will only bind to DNA in an area called the promoter region, which have specific base sequences. There are also non-coding regions of DNA called termination sequences which tell RNA polymerase to stop transcribing.

  1. Describe in detail how RNA is edited prior to leaving the nucleus (only in Eukaryotes).

The pieces removed are called introns (intervening sequences) and are cut out why the RNA is still inside the nucleus.The remaining portions, called exons, or expressed sequences, are spliced back together to form the final mRNA.

  1. What monomers make up polypeptide chains (proteins)?

Proteins

  1. The language of mRNA instructions is called the genetic code. This code is a chain of nucleotides. This code is read by ribosomes in 3 letter sequences called what?

Codons

  1. What is the first amino acid laid down in every protein made in eukaryotes?

Methionine

  1. Translation begins when the mRNA molecule in the cytoplasm attaches to a ribosome. This is called what?

Initiation

  1. The three bases on the tRNA molecule, called the ______, are complimentary to one of the mRNA codons.

Anticodons

  1. Like an assembly line worker who attaches one part to another, the ribosome forms a peptide bond between the first and second amino acids. This is called what?

Elongation

  1. When the ribosome reaches a stop codon, it releases the newly formed polypeptide and the mRNA molecule, completing the process of translation. This is called what?

Termination

  1. Below is an mRNA strand. Use this strand and the codon chart provided to make an amino acid chain based on code contained in the mRNA strand.

mRNA: UCGCACGGU

mRNA code:UCG-CAC-GGU

Amino Acids:Serine – Histidine - Glycine

This mRNA code will change on the real quiz, but will be basically the same as this question.