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Date ________________
Chapter 10 Study Guide: Molecular Biology of the Gene
1. Think about the "Monkey Business" paper that you read last week. Why do you
think it is useful for us to study DNA?
To answer questions throughout the rest of the study guide, refer to the
appropriate section of the textbook or the appropriate CD activity. I HIGHLY
recommend that you review the CD activities. They will help you understand the
key ideas of this unit much better than just by reading the book.
CD Activity 10C: DNA and RNA Structure
2. What are the three components of a DNA nucleotide? Diagram a DNA nucleotide,
labeling each part. (10.2)
3. The atoms in a DNA nucleotide are connected by covalent bonds. What is a
covalent bond? (2.8)
4. What are the names of the purine bases? What are the names of the pyrimidine
bases? What is different about the structure of purines and pyrimidines? (10.2)
5. What are two differences between the structures of DNA and RNA? (10.2)
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6. Whose X-ray crystallography data was used to figure out the structure of DNA? Who
built the first model of DNA and how did they figure out the structure? How did Erwin
Chargaff contribute to the discovery of the structure of DNA?? (10.3)
7. Examine figure 10.3D. What is a hydrogen bond? (2.10) How many hydrogen
bonds form between adenine and thymine? Guanine and cytosine? (10.3)
8. How did the Watson-Crick model give new meaning to "genes" and "chromosomes"
and to the chromosome theory of inheritance? (10.3)
CD Activity 10E.
9. How does a cell “know” how to make the correct DNA molecule for the next
generation? (10.4)
10. Where does DNA replication begin? (10.5)
11. What is an enzyme? (5.5) What two enzymes are involved in DNA replication?
What are their jobs? (10.5)
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CD Activity 10G.
12. How does DNA determine an organism’s phenotype? (10.6)
13. Distinguish between transcription and translation. (10.6)
14. What nucleotide is present in DNA but not in RNA? What nucleotide replaces it
in RNA? (10.7)
15. Why is it important that DNA is “read" in groups of three nucleotides instead of
single nucleotides or in groups of two? (10.7)
16. What is a three-letter word in DNA called? (10.7)
17. Only 61 of the 64 possible codons code for an amino acid. What do the other three
codons do? (10.8)
18. What amino acid sequence is coded for by the following mRNA molecule? (10.8;
Appendix 2 has a list of amino acid names, which are abbreviated to three letters in the
genetic code shown in 10.8)
AUG AAU CCG GCA UAG
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CD Activity 10H: Transcription
19. What is the function of RNA polymerase? (10.9)
20. Distinguish between a promoter and a terminator. (10.9)
21. What role does mRNA play in protein synthesis? (10.10)
22. What is an intron? What is an exon? (10.10)
CD Activity 10I: Translation
23. What is tRNA? What molecules does it interact with during translation? What is its
job during translation? (10.11)
24. What is an anticodon? (10.11)
25. How many subunits is a ribosome made of? What two kinds of molecules make up
these subunits? What three binding sites are there on the ribosome? (10.12)
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26. What are the three phases of transcription? (10.13)
27. What two molecules bind first during initiation? What molecule binds next? What
molecule then binds to the three connected molecules? (10.13)
28. What happens as a tRNA passes through the A and P binding sites on the
ribosome during elongation? (10.14)
29. Complete the following—
monomer : polymer
amino acid : _____________________
nucleotide : _______ or RNA
30. What is the overall significance of transcription and translation? (10.15)
31. Distinguish between the two general categories of mutations. (10.16)
32. What is mutagenesis? What kinds of errors can cause mutations? What kinds of
physical and chemical agents can cause mutations? (10.16)
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