| Term | Definition |
|---|
| ribosomal rna | The most abundant type of RNA, which together with proteins, forms the structure of ribosomes. Ribosomes coordinate the sequential coupling of tRNA molecules to mRNA codons. |
| transfer rna | The type of RNA that carries a particular amino acid to mRNA at the ribosome in protein synthesis. |
| virulent | The disease-causing strain of a bacterium. |
| transformation | Transfer of genetic material from one cell to another cell or from one organism to another organism. |
| bacteriophages | viruses that infect bacteria, A kind of virus that infects bacteria, they are composed of DNA and RNA core and a protein coat. Injects genetic information. |
| nucleotide | in a nucleic-acid chain, a subunit that consists of a sugar, a phosphate, and a nitrogenous base |
| deoxyribose | a five-carbon sugar found in DNA. |
| nitrogenous base | an organic base that contains nitrogen, such as a purine or pyrimidine; a subunit of a nucleotide in DNA and RNA |
| purines | nitrogeneous bases that have a double ring of carbon and nitrogen atoms such as adenine and guanine |
| pyrimidines | Thymine/Uracil and Cytosine; are smaller nitrogenous base, have a single ring with weak hydrogen bonds that connect to another base |
| base pairing rules | The rules stating that cytosine pairs with guanine and adenine pairs with thymne in DNA, and that adenine pairs are uracil in RNA |
| complementary base pairs | the nucleotide bases in one strand of DNA or RNA that are paired with those of another strand; adenine pairs with thymine or uracil, and guanine pairs with cytosine |
| base sequence | the order of nitrogenous bases on a chain on DNA |
| DNA replication | the process by which DNA is copied in a cell before a cell divides by mitosis, meiosis, or binary fission |
| helicases | enzymes that separate DNA strands in replication; they move along the DNA molecule, breaking hydrogen bonds between complementary nitrogeneous bases |
| replication fork | a Y-shaped point that results when the two strands of a DNA double helix separate so that the DNA molecule can be replicated |
| DNA polymerases | enzymes that add complementary nucleotides, found floating freely inside the nucleus |
| semi-conservative replication | the normal process of DNA synthesis in which two original strands of the molecule separate and each acts as a template on which a new, complementary strand is laid |
| mutation | a change in the nucleotide-base sequence of a gene or DNA molecule |
| ribonucleic acid | single stranded; Stores and transfers information from DNA that is essential for the manufacturing of proteins. |
| transcription | the process of forming a nucleic acid by using another molecule as a template; particularly the process of synthesizing RNA by using one strand of a DNA molecule as a template |
| translation | RNA directs the assembly of proteins |
| protein synthesis | The process in which the genetic code carried by messenger RNA directs cellular organelles called ribosomes to produce proteins from amino acids. |
| messenger RNA | a general type of RNA that encodes information from DNA and goes to the cytoplasm where ribosomes use it as a template to make proteins |
| RNA polymerase | an enzyme that starts (catalyzes) the formation of RNA by using a strand of DNA molecule as a template |
| promoter | a nucleotide sequence on a DNA molecule to which an RNA polymerase molecule binds, which initiates the transcription of a specific gene |
| termination signal | a specific sequence of nucleotides that marks the end of a gene |
| genetic code | The sequence of nucleotides, coded in triplets (codons) along the mRNA, that determines the sequence of amino acids in protein synthesis |
| codon | A three-nucleotide sequence of DNA or mRNA that specifies a particular amino acid or termination signal; the basic unit of the genetic code. |
| anticodon | A sequence of three bases of a tRNA molecule that pairs with the complementary three-nucleotide codon of an mRNA molecule during protein synthesis. |
| genome | The entire genetic makeup of an individual or species |
| ribose | A monosaccharide containing five carbon atoms that is a component of RNA. |
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