New Terms - Molecular Genetics (DNA replication, transcription, and translation)

DNA - 		deoxyribonucleic acid, consists of two long chains of nucleotides that
form a double helix.
double helix - 	the nucleotide chains that form DNA - the chains twist around
themselves in the form of a spiral staircase.
nucleotide - 		consists of a nitrogenous base, a phosphate group, and a molecule of
deoxyribose.
RNA - 		ribonucleic acid, the nucleic acid that carries out the instructions of the
DNA.  Has only two differences from DNA - the carbohydrate ribose
(instead of deoxyribose), and the nitrogenous base uracil (instead of
thyamine).
tRNA - 		transfer RNA, in the cytoplasm of the cell and is used in protein
synthesis to carry amino acids to the ribosomes.
mRNA - 		messenger RNA, in the nucleus and receives the genetic code from
DNA and takes it into the cytoplasm to carry out protein synthesis.
rRNA - 		ribosomal RNA, used to make ribosomes.
replication - 		the process by which DNA makes copies of itself; duplication talked
about during the S stage of interphase in the cell cycle.
transcription - 	process by which DNA ”unzips“ and codes a strand of mRNA in the
nucleus - one of the first stages in protein synthesis.
translation - 		the mRNA is ”read“ and formed into a protein containing amino acids
that were gathered and brought to the mRNA by tRNA.
DNA polymerase - 	enzyme used in DNA replication
RNA polymerase - 	enzyme used in forming mRNA, and tRNA
protein synthesis - 	process by which proteins are formed by linking amino acids.
nitrogenous bases - 	part of the nucleotide.  They are made up of purines and pyrimidines.
purines - 		two fused carbon and nitrogen atoms
pyrimidines - 		single fused ring of nitrogen and carbon atoms
adenine - 		purine base in DNA and RNA symbolized by A
guanine - 		purine base in DNA and RNA symbolized by G
cytosine - 		pyrimidine base in DNA and RNA symbolized by C
thymine - 		pyrimidine base in DNA symbolized by T
uracil - 		pyrimidine base in RNA symbolized by U
complementary base pairing - describes the pairing of nitrogenous bases during replication,
purine bases pair with pyrimidine bases (A-T ; G-C ; A-U).
initiation - 		indicates the start of protein synthesis indicated by the start codon
elongation - 		period in protein synthesis where protein is formed
termination - 		end of protein synthesis indicated by the stop codon
codon - 		groups of 3 nucleotides.  Each serves as a code word for and amino
acid
anticodon - 		complementary codon to the codon, found on the tRNA molecule
start codon - 		AUG
stop codon - 		UAG