Bio 181, Fall 2005

 

Learning Objectives for Chapter 16, The Molecular Basis of Inheritance

 

Understand and be able to use the following terms:

transformation

bacteriophage

double helix

nucleic acid

purine

pyrimidine

nucleotide

Phosphodiester bond

x-ray diffraction

base-pairs

antiparallel

complimentary

semiconservative

origin of replication

replication fork

DNA polymerase

leading strand

lagging strand

Okazaki fragments

primer

primase

DNA ligase

helicase

single-strand binding protein

mismatch repair

nuclease

nucleotide excision repair

telomere

telomerase

 

 

 

 

  1. Explain why researchers originally thought protein was the genetic material.
  2. Describe the experiments done by Griffith; Avery, McCarty, and MacLeod; Hershey and Chase; and Chargoff; and explain how they furthered our understanding of DNA as the genetic material.
  3. Explain how Watson and Crick deduced the structure of DNA and describe the evidence they used. Explain the significance of the research of Rosalind Franklin.
  4. Describe the structure of DNA. Explain the "base-pairing rule" and describe its significance.
  5. How does the structure of a DNA molecule suggest a mechanism for faithful replication?
  6. Describe how semiconservative replication occurs.
  7. Describe the Meselson and Stahl experiment, and explain how it supported the hypothesis of semiconservative replication.
  8. Describe the process of DNA replication. Note the structure of the many origins of replication and replication forks and explain the role of DNA polymerase.
  9. What substrates does DNA polymerase act on?  Explain what energy source drives the polymerization of DNA.
  10. Define "antiparallel" and explain why continuous synthesis of both DNA strands is not possible.
  11. Distinguish between the leading strand and the lagging strand.  Explain how the lagging strand is synthesized even though DNA polymerase can add nucleotides only to the 3' end.
  12. Describe the replication process in detail.  Be able to explain the roles of the proteins listed in table 16.15. Describe all the steps in replication, and be able to diagram them on a replication fork.
  13. Explain the roles of DNA polymerase, mismatch repair enzymes, and nuclease in DNA proofreading and repair.
  14. Describe the structure and functions of telomeres. Explain the significance of telomerase to healthy and cancerous cells.