Genetics
study of biologically inherited traits, including traits that are influenced in part by the environment
Genomics
study of all the genes in an organism to understand their molecular organization, function, interaction, and evolutionary history
Genes
Elements of heredity that are transmitted from parents to offspring in reproduction
Deoxyribonucleic acid
DNA - material genes are made ofuses deoxyribose as the sugardouble stranded helixantiparallel
Ribonucleic Acid
RNA - used in part of the process of creating needed molecules based off of the genes in DNAsingle stranded helixRibose is the sugar
Nitrogenous Base
One component of a nucleotide4 Nitrogenous bases in DNA: Adenine, Guanine, Tyrosine, Cytosine
Nucleotide
a molecule consisting of a phosphate, sugar, and base
Phosphodiester Bonds
Covalent bond formed between the 5' phosphate group of one nucleotide with the 3' hydroxyl group of the next nucleotide in lineThese bonds form the backbone of a nucleic acid molecule (aka DNA, RNA)
Purine
An organic base found in nucleic acids; Adenine and Guanine
Pyrimidine
An organic base found in nucleic acids; Cytosine, Thymine (in DNA), and Uracil (in RNA)
Hydrogen Bonds
A weak noncovalent linkage between two negatively charged atoms in which a hydrogen atom is shared
Guanine
A purine base in DNA and RNABonds only with Cytosine
Cytosine
A pyrimidine base in DNA and RNA Binds only with Guanine
Adenine
A purine base in DNA and RNABinds with Thymine in DNA or Uracil in RNA
Thymine
A pyrimidine base found only in DNA Binds with Adenine
Uracil
A pyrimidine base found only in RNABinds to Adenine in a RNA strand
Nucleic Acid
A polymer composed of repeating units of phosphate-linked five-carbon sugars to which nitrogenous bases are attached
Antiparallel
Where one string of nucleotides runs one direction and pairs with another string of nucleotides running in the opposite directionChemical orientation of the two strands of a double-stranded nucleic acid molecule; the 5'-3' orientation of the two strands are opposite each other
Auxotroph
A mutant microorganism unable to synthesize a compound required for its growth but able to grow if the compound is provided
Phototroph
An organism able to grow in minimal medium without any added help
Phenotype
The observable properties of a cell or an organism, which result from the itneraction of the genotype and the environment.
Genotype
The genetic constitution of an organism or virus, typically with respect to one or a few genes of interest, as distinguished from its appearance, or phenotype
Minimal Medium
A growth medium consisting of simpe inorganic salts, a carbohydrate, vitamins, organic bases, essential amino acids, and other essential compounds
Complete Medium
Culture medium containing all required nutrients to support growth and cell division
Genetic Block
Caused by a mutation that makes it impossible for the organism to produce a specific needed protein by halting the biosynthetic pathway
Deoxyribose
Sugar in DNA
Ribose
Sugar in RNA
Leading strand
The DNA strand whose complement is synthesized as a continuous unit
DNA Polymerase
an enzyme that catalyzes the synthesis of DNA from deosynucleoside 5' triphosphates using a template strand
Helicase
Separates the stands of DNA
Gyrase
A topoisomerase enzyme that helps to relax the tension in the coils during DNA replication
Primer
RNA primer of 2-5 bases that start DNA synthesis
SSB
binds single stranded DNA
Lagging Strand
The DNA strand whose complement is synthesized in short fragments later joined together
Endonuclease
breaks internal phosphodiester bonds in DNA or RNA
Exonuclease
An enzyme that removes a terminal nucleotide in apolnucleotide chain by cleavage of the terminal phosphodiester bond
RecA protein
Unwinds dsDNA and helps insert ssDNa and promotes replacement of homologous chromosomes
Ligase
An enzyme that catalyzes formation of a cobalent bond between adjacent 5' P and 3' OH termini in a broken polynucleotide strand of double stranded DNA
Mismatch repair enzyme
Fixes a mismatched pair by choosing a strand and replacing the mismatched base with the correct base
Synaptonemal complex
formed during substage of first meiotic prophase and binds together homologous pairs of chromosomes during synapsis prophase of meiosis