DNA Structure and Function Quiz

DNA makes up genes, which control cell functions and are passed down through inheritance.

DNA's structure allows it to store and replicate information.

DNA mutations can lead to inherited diseases.

DNA structure accounts for differences between species.

DNA mutations help new species develop.

The amounts of adenine (A) and thymine (T) are equal, and the amounts of guanine (G) and cytosine (C) are equal in DNA.

The percentages of DNA nucleotides (A, T, G, and C) differ between species.

Two of the four nucleotide bases in DNA.

Two of the four nucleotide bases in DNA.

A method used to separate and quantify DNA nucleotides.

A technique used to analyze the structure of DNA by firing X-rays at DNA crystals and observing the diffraction patterns.

DNA is a double helix, meaning it has a twisted ladder shape.

Using physical models to test different arrangements of DNA molecules to determine the correct three-dimensional structure.

The process by which DNA copies itself, ensuring an exact copy is passed on to daughter cells during cell division.

James Watson and Francis Crick are credited with discovering the double helix structure of DNA in 1953.

DNA is a double-stranded helix with two sugar-phosphate backbones running in opposite directions. The strands are held together by hydrogen bonds between complementary base pairs.

The rungs of the DNA ladder are formed by pairs of nitrogenous bases, specifically adenine (A) with thymine (T) and guanine (G) with cytosine (C).

The structure of DNA is often compared to a ladder because it has two sides (sugar-phosphate backbones) and rungs (base pairs) held together by hydrogen bonds. It also helps to visualize the antiparallel nature of the two strands.

The two DNA strands run in opposite directions, one 5' to 3' and the other 3' to 5'. This means the sugar-phosphate backbones are orientated differently.

DNA's double helix structure allows for efficient replication and storage of genetic information. The complementary base pairing ensures accurate copying of the genetic code.

Two nitrogenous bases in DNA that always pair together: adenine (A) with thymine (T) and guanine (G) with cytosine (C).

The two strands of DNA run in opposite directions. One strand runs 5' to 3', while the other runs 3' to 5'.

DNA replication is essential for cell division, ensuring each new cell receives a complete set of genetic instructions.

The mechanism of DNA replication where each new DNA molecule contains one original strand and one newly synthesized strand.

An enzyme that unwinds and separates the two strands of DNA during replication.

An enzyme that joins new nucleotides together to form a new DNA strand during replication.

The pairing of specific nucleotide bases in DNA: adenine (A) with thymine (T) and guanine (G) with cytosine (C).

It takes approximately 8 hours to copy the entire human genome, even though DNA polymerase adds nucleotides at a rate of 50 per second.

Specific sites on chromosomes where DNA replication starts. These sites initiate the unwinding and separation of the DNA strands.

As DNA strands separate at origins of replication, they form bubbles where replication occurs on both sides.

The Y-shaped structures formed during DNA replication where the DNA strands are unwinding and new strands are being synthesized.

Replication occurs bidirectionally from each origin of replication, meaning it moves in both directions. This helps speed up the process.