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

This is an example post, originally published as part of Blogging University. Enroll in one of our ten programs, and start your blog right.

You’re going to publish a post today. Don’t worry about how your blog looks. Don’t worry if you haven’t given it a name yet, or you’re feeling overwhelmed. Just click the “New Post” button, and tell us why you’re here.

Why do this?

• Because it gives new readers context. What are you about? Why should they read your blog?
• Because it will help you focus you own ideas about your blog and what you’d like to do with it.

The post can be short or long, a personal intro to your life or a bloggy mission statement, a manifesto for the future or a simple outline of your the types of things you hope to publish.

To help you get started, here are a few questions:

• Why are you blogging publicly, rather than keeping a personal journal?
• What topics do you think you’ll write about?
• Who would you love to connect with via your blog?
• If you blog successfully throughout the next year, what would you hope to have accomplished?

You’re not locked into any of this; one of the wonderful things about blogs is how they constantly evolve as we learn, grow, and interact with one another — but it’s good to know where and why you started, and articulating your goals may just give you a few other post ideas.

Can’t think how to get started? Just write the first thing that pops into your head. Anne Lamott, author of a book on writing we love, says that you need to give yourself permission to write a “crappy first draft”. Anne makes a great point — just start writing, and worry about editing it later.

When you’re ready to publish, give your post three to five tags that describe your blog’s focus — writing, photography, fiction, parenting, food, cars, movies, sports, whatever. These tags will help others who care about your topics find you in the Reader. Make sure one of the tags is “zerotohero,” so other new bloggers can find you, too.