BIOL 309 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: The Double Helix, Reverse Transcriptase, Amine
19 Nov 2018
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Study Guide for Quiz 1 (Given on August 31st)
You need to be familiar with the basics of replication, transcription, reverse transcription
and translation. You should prepare for questions like this:
Which of the following would NOT be needed for TRANSCRIPTION?
a.) ribonucleotides
b.) proteins
c.) DNA
d.) RNA polymerase
e.) DNA polymerase
things required for DNA duplication:
DNA polymerase, primer, dNTPs, template.
RNA transcription (occurs in nucleus of eukaryotes):
RNA polymerase, NTPs, DNA molecule strand. NO primer required.
RNA translation (occurs in cytoplasm of eukaryotes)
Ribosome, amino acid, mRNA template, tRNA template.
How are DNA, RNA and proteins chemically/structurally different from each other?
DNA has a double helix and it has an H at the 2’ end of the ribose sugar. RNA is a single
stranded molecule and it has OH at the 2’ end of the ribose sugar. Other than that, both RNA
and DNA have phosphate group, 5 carbon sugar and nitrogen containing base. Proteins are
composed of amino group, carboxyl groups, and side group placed in a linear position. There
are 4 levels of proteins: primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary. The structures and
functions of proteins get more complex with structures.
How do those differences play a role in the function of each molecule?
The double helix of DNA makes it the best option to store genetic information. Since RNA is
single stranded, it folds into 3D structures which give it more versatility and functions. The
structures are stabilized by hydrogen bonds. With proteins, as the level gets higher, the
versatility and function get better as well. Since there are 20 amino acids, their versatility and
functioning are more efficient than that of RNA.
Why are proteins better for structure and function uses than nucleic acids (DNA and
RNA)?
Proteins are better for structure and function because there are different levels of proteins, as
the level reaches from primary to quaternary, the performance of their functions get more
complex and efficient. DNA is a double helix and its main purpose is just to store energy
therefore it cannot be depended upon to perform functions. RNA’s single strand also folds into
3D structures which enhances its performance but there are only 4 nucleotides present in RNA
whereas there are 20 amino acids present in proteins which gives it a superiority over RNA.
Why is DNA better for information storage than RNA?
DNA is better for storage information than RNA because of its double helix. DNA is a more
stable molecule because of its structure. It’s missing one H and O atom whereas RNA has a
Document Summary
Study guide for quiz 1 (given on august 31st) You need to be familiar with the basics of replication, transcription, reverse transcription and translation. You should prepare for questions like this: ribonucleotides proteins. Which of the following would not be needed for transcription? a. ) b. ) c. ) d. ) e. ) things required for dna duplication: Dna has a double helix and it has an h at the 2" end of the ribose sugar. Rna is a single stranded molecule and it has oh at the 2" end of the ribose sugar. Other than that, both rna and dna have phosphate group, 5 carbon sugar and nitrogen containing base. Proteins are composed of amino group, carboxyl groups, and side group placed in a linear position. There are 4 levels of proteins: primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary. The structures and functions of proteins get more complex with structures. The double helix of dna makes it the best option to store genetic information.
