Genetics

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