DNA, RNA, and Protein Synthesis

• DNA strands are shaped as a double helix.
• Adenine (A) always pairs with thymine (T), and cytosine (C) always pairs with guanine (G), according to base pairing rules.
• Nucleotides are the monomers that make up a DNA strand.
• DNA polymerase is the enzyme that forms bonds between nucleotides during DNA replication.
• RNA, or ribonucleic acid, serves as a temporary copy of DNA.
• The central dogma states that information flows from DNA to RNA, which then codes for proteins.
• Transcription is the process of copying a DNA strand into a complementary mRNA strand.
• Replication is the process of making a copy.
• RNA polymerase is the enzyme that binds nucleotides together to form RNA strand molecules.
• Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) forms part of the ribosome, reads the mRNA strand. Acts as the protein factory
• Translation converts mRNA strands into a polypeptide (chain of proteins).
• Transfer RNA (tRNA) brings amino acids from the cytoplasm to ribosomes for protein synthesis.
• An anticodon is a set of 3 nucleotides complementary to an mRNA codon.
• A codon is a set of 3 nucleotides that codes for an amino acid.
• AUG is the start codon that signals the beginning of translation.
• UGA, UAG, and UAA are the stop codons that signal the end of an amino acid chain.
• Messenger RNA (mRNA) is an intermediate message translated to form a protein.

Transcription vs. Translation

• Transcription copies DNA into RNA (specifically mRNA).
• Translation uses mRNA to build a protein (a chain of amino acids).

RNA vs. DNA

• DNA is double-stranded with deoxyribose sugar and thymine.
• RNA is usually single-stranded with ribose sugar and uracil instead of thymine.
• RNA can leave the nucleus, while DNA cannot.

DNA's Role in Individual Differences

• Each chromosome represents segments of the genome passed down through generations.
• Shuffling of DNA amongst chromosome pairs contributes to the uniqueness of an individual's genome.