~Molecular Genetics~
Chapter 16: DNA From Gene to Protein
Transcription/Translation Qs OBJECTIVES
1. Explain how RNA differs from DNA.
2. Briefly explain the central dogma of biology.
3. Distinguish between transcription and translation.
4. Describe where transcription and translation occur in prokaryotes and in
eukaryotes; explain why it is significant that in eukaryotes, transcription and translation
are separated in space and time.
5. Define codon, and explain what relationship exists between the linear sequence of
codons on mRNA and the linear sequence of amino acids in a polypeptide.
6. List the three stop codons and the one start codon.
7. Explain in what way the genetic code is redundant and unambiguous.
8. Explain the evolutionary significance of a nearly universal genetic code.
9. Explain the process of transcription including the three major steps of initiation,
elongation and termination.
10. Describe the general role of RNA polymerase in transcription.
11. Explain how RNA polymerase recognizes where transcription should begin.
12. Distinguish among mRNA, tRNA, rRNA, and siRNA.
13. Describe the structure of tRNA and explain how the structure is related to function.
14. Given a sequence of bases in DNA (GATCCTAGGAAC), predict the corresponding
codons transcribed on mRNA, the corresponding anticodons of tRNA and the amino
acids coded for.
15. Describe the wobble effect.
16. Explain how an aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase matches a specific amino acid to its
appropriate tRNA; describe the energy source that drives this endergonic process.
17. Describe the structure of a ribosome, & explain how this structure relates to
function.
18. Describe the process of translation (initiation, elongation, & termination).
19. Explain what determines the primary structure of a protein and describe how a
polypeptide must be modified before it becomes fully functional.
20. Explain how proteins can be targeted for specific sites within the cell.
21. Describe the difference between prokaryotic and eukaryotic mRNA.
22. Explain how eukaryotic mRNA is processed before it leaves the nucleus.
23. Describe some biological functions of introns and gene splicing.
24. Explain why base-pair insertions or deletions usually have a greater effect than basepair substitutions.
25. Describe how mutagenesis can occur
KEY TERMS
triplet code
intron
anticodon
point mutation
one gene–one polypeptide
transcription factors
wobble
base-pair substitution
transcription
initiation
aminoacyl-tRNA
missense mutation
transcription complex
synthetases
nonsense mutation
messenger RNA (mRNA) TATA box
ribosomal RNA (rRNA)
insertion
deletion
A site
poly (A) tail
primary transcript
signal peptide
signal-recognition particle
reading frame
RNA polymerase
terminator
translation
frameshift mutation
E site
RNA splicing
template strand
codon
domain
transfer RNA (tRNA)
P site
5' cap
RNA processing
mutagens
polyribosome
exon
spliceosome
mutation
point mutation