vocabulary

polypeptides-long chains of amino acids

genetic engineering-the process of picking up DNA from the environment

double helix-2 strands that DNA is coiled into

pentose sugar-the sugar that makes up the sides of a DNA molecule

phosphodiester bonds-the bonds that hold deoxyribose sugars to the phosphate groups

nucleotides-subunits that make up DNA

purines-double ring nitrogen bases

pyrimidines-single ring nitrogen bases

DNA synthesis-the process of copying DNA

origins of replication-the beginning point of DNA replication

replication fork-where the 2 strands of DNA open at it origins of replication and forms a Y shape-replication bubblewhere the 2 strands pen at the origins of replication

helicase-the enzyme that uncoils DNA so it can be replicated, and also breaks the weak hydrogen bonds-topoisomerasean enzyme that relieves stress on the DNA strands at the replication forks

primase-the enzyme that makes RNA primer

DNA polymerases-the enzyme that adds new complementary base pairs

leading strand-the strand of DNA that is synthesized continuously as a single strand

lagging strand-the strand of DNA that is synthesized discontinuously in many short segments

okazaki fragments-the short segments of the lagging strand

ligase-the enzyme that joins the okazaki fragments together into one strand

DNA-the nucleic acid that contains the master code for making proteins

RNA-the nucleic acid that acts as a blueprint in copying the master code

uracil-the base that replaces thymine in RNA

mRNA-the type of RNA that copies DNA’s code and carries the genetic information to the ribosomes

rRNA-the type of RNA that helps make up proteins