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Molecular Biology of the Gene
Chapter 10 Objectives
Opening Essay
Explain how a herpesvirus invades a cell and causes disease.
The Structure of the Genetic Material
10.1 Describe the experiments of Griffith, Hershey, and Chase, which supported the idea that
DNA was life’s genetic material.
10.2–10.3 Compare the structures of DNA and RNA.
10.3 Explain how Chargaff’s rules relate to the structure of DNA.
DNA Replication
10.4
10.5
Explain how the structure of DNA facilitates its replication.
Describe the process of DNA replication. Describe the mechanisms that correct errors
caused by environmental damage or errors from replication.
The Flow of Genetic Information from DNA to RNA to Protein
10.6
10.7–10.8
10.9
10.10
10.11
10.12
10.13
10.14
10.15
10.16
Describe the locations, reactants, and products of transcription and translation.
Explain how the “languages” of DNA and RNA are used to produce polypeptides.
Explain how RNA is produced.
Explain how eukaryotic RNA is processed before leaving the nucleus.
Relate the structure of tRNA to its functions in the process of translation.
Describe the structure and function of ribosomes.
Explain how translation begins.
Describe the step-by-step process by which amino acids are added to a growing
polypeptide chain.
Diagram the overall process of transcription and translation.
Describe the major types of mutations, causes of mutations, and possible consequences.
Microbial Genetics
10.17
10.18
10.19
10.19
10.20
10.21
Compare the lytic and lysogenic reproductive cycles of a phage.
Compare the structures and reproductive cycles of an enveloped RNA virus and a herpesvirus.
Describe three processes that contribute to the emergence of viral disease.
Explain why RNA viruses tend to have an unusually high rate of mutation.
Explain how the AIDS virus enters a host cell and reproduces.
Describe the structure of viroids and prions and explain how they cause disease.
10.22
10.23
Define and compare the processes of transformation, transduction, and conjugation.
Describe the roles of bacterial F factors. Define a plasmid and explain why R plasmids
pose serious human health problems.
Key Terms
adenine (A)
AIDS
anticodon
bacteriophage
capsid
codon
conjugation
cytosine (C)
DNA ligase
DNA polymerase
double helix
emerging virus
exon
F factor
genetic code
guanine (G)
HIV
intron
lysogenic cycle
lytic cycle
messenger RNA (mRNA)
molecular biology
mRNA
mutagen
mutagenesis
mutation
nucleotide
P site
phage
plasmid
polynucleotide
prion
promoter
prophage
R plasmid
reading frame
retrovirus
reverse transcriptase
ribosomal RNA (rRNA)
RNA polymerase
RNA splicing
rRNA
semiconservative model
start codon
stop codon
sugar-phosphatebackbone
terminator
thymine (T)
transcription
transduction
transfer RNA (tRNA)
transformation
translation
triplet code
tRNA
uracil (U)
viroid
virus
Word Roots
anti- 5 opposite (anticodon: a specific sequence of three nucleotides on a tRNA molecule that is complementary to a particular codon triplet on an mRNA molecule)
capsa- 5 a box (capsid: the protein shell that encloses the viral genome)
exo- 5 out, outside, without (exon: in eukaryotes, the coding portion of a gene)
-genesis 5 origin, birth (mutagenesis: the creation of a mutation)
helic- 5 a spiral (double helix: The form of native DNA, composed of two adjacent polynucleotide
strands wound into a spiral shape)
intro- 5 within (intron: a noncoding, intervening sequence within a eukaryotic gene) in eukaryotes, a
nonexpressed [noncoding] portion of a gene that is excised from the RNA transcript)
liga- 5 bound or tied (DNA ligase: an enzyme that catalyzes the covalent bonding of adjacent DNA
nucleotides)
lyso- 5 loosen (lysogenic cycle: a type of bacteriophage replication cycle in which the viral genome is
incorporated into the bacterial host chromosome as a prophage)
lyto- 5 loosen (lytic cycle: a type of viral replication cycle resulting in the release of new viruses by lysis
[breaking open] of the host cell)
muta- 5 change (mutation: a change in the nucleotide sequence of DNA); -gen 5 producing(mutagen: a
physical or chemical agent that causes mutations; mutagenesis: the creation of a mutation)
-phage 5 to eat (bacteriophage: a virus that infects bacteria)
poly- 5 many (polynucleotide: a molecule composed of many nucleotide monomers, covalently bonded
together)
pro- 5 before (promoter: a sequence of DNA that provides the binding site for RNA polymerase during
transcription); -phage 5 to eat (prophage: phage DNA that has inserted by genetic recombination into the
DNA of a prokaryotic chromosome)
retro- 5 backward (retrovirus: an RNA virus that reproduces by reverse-transcribing its RNA into DNA
and then inserting the DNA into a cellular chromosome)
semi- 5 half (semiconservative model: type of DNA replication in which the replicated double helix
consists of one old strand, derived or “conserved” from the parent molecule, and one newly made strand)
trans- 5 across (transduction: the transfer of DNA from one cell to another via a bacteriophage;
transformation: a phenomenon in which external DNA is assimilated by a cell; translation: the process in
which an amino acid sequence is produced by reading an RNA transcript); -script 5 write(transcription:
the synthesis of RNA on a DNA template)
virul- 5 poisonous (viroid: a plant pathogen composed of molecules of naked, circular RNA several hundred nucleotides long; virus: an infectious agent that requires a host cell for reproduction)
Student Media
The Structure of the Genetic Material
Activity: The Hershey-Chase Experiment (10.1)
Activity: Phage T2 Reproductive Cycle (10.1)
Activity: DNA and RNA Structure (10.3)
Activity: DNA Double Helix (10.3)
BLAST Animation: Hydrogen Bonds in DNA (10.3)
BLAST Animation: Structure of Double Helix (10.3)
DNA Replication
Activity: DNA Replication (10.5)
Process of Science: What is the Correct Model for DNA Replication? (10.4)
The Flow of Genetic Information from DNA to RNA to Protein
BioFlix: Protein Synthesis (10.6)
MP3 Tutor: MP3 Tutor: DNA to RNA to Protein (10.6)
Activity: Transcription (10.9)
Activity: Translation (10.14)
Process of Science: How Are Nutritional Mutations Identified? (10.6)
Process of Science: How Do You Diagnose a Genetic Disorder? (10.16)
BLAST Animation: Roles of RNA (10.9)
BLAST Animation: Transcription (10.9)
BLAST Animation: Translation (10.14)
Microbial Genetics
Activity: Phase Lysogenic and Lytic Cycles (10.17)
Activity: Simplified Reproductive Cycle of a DNA Virus (10.18)
Activity: Retrovirus (10.20)
Process of Science: Why Do AIDS Rates Differ Across the US? (10.19)
Process of Science: What Causes Infections in AIDS Patients? (10.20)
Process of Science: How Can Antibiotic-Resistant Plasmids Transform E. coli? (10.23)
Discovery Channel Video Clip: Emerging Diseases (10.19)
BLAST Animation: AIDS Treatment Strategies (10.20)
BLAST Animation: HIV Structure (10.20)
BLAST Animation: Plasmid (10.23)