DNA, Genes, and Protein Synthesis
Core facts about DNA structure, transcription, translation, and the genetic code.
Keyboard Shortcuts
💡 Pro tip: Use keyboard shortcuts for faster studying!
Study Smart Tips for DNA, Genes, and Protein Synthesis
Master these concepts using proven study techniques that actually work:
Active Recall
Test yourself before flipping each card to strengthen memory retention
Spaced Repetition
Review difficult cards more frequently than easy ones
Multiple Sessions
Break study time into shorter, focused sessions
Explain Aloud
Verbalize answers to reinforce understanding
Questions Covered in This Set
10 cards to master
What three parts make up a nucleotide?
A phosphate group, a sugar (deoxyribose in DNA), and one of four bases (A, T, G, C).
State the base-pairing rule in DNA.
A pairs with T, and G pairs with C, held together by hydrogen bonds.
Why does base pairing make copying DNA possible?
Each strand carries enough information to rebuild its partner, so an unzipped strand serves as a template for a new one.
What does 'antiparallel' mean for the two DNA strands?
One runs 5′→3′ while the other runs 3′→5′; enzymes read and build in only one direction, causing lagging-strand Okazaki fragments.
What happens during transcription?
RNA polymerase binds a promoter, unzips a local stretch of DNA, and builds an mRNA copy of one strand.
How does RNA differ chemically from DNA?
RNA is single-stranded, uses ribose instead of deoxyribose, and uses uracil (U) in place of thymine (T).
What happens during translation?
A ribosome reads mRNA three bases at a time; tRNA adaptors bring matching amino acids, which are linked into a chain that folds into a protein.
DNA template 3′-TAC GGA TTT ACT-5′ gives which peptide?
mRNA 5′-AUG CCU AAA UGA-3′ → Met–Pro–Lys, then stop at UGA.
Why is the genetic code called redundant?
There are 64 codons for only 20 amino acids (leucine has six), giving error tolerance — third-base changes are often silent.
Compare silent, missense, and frameshift mutations.
Silent: same amino acid (often third base). Missense: swaps an amino acid (e.g., sickle-cell glutamate→valine). Frameshift: an insertion/deletion not a multiple of three, scrambling everything downstream.
