1. What is DNA? This blue print of life is stored in an organism’s genome. The letters stand for deoxyribonucleic acid. It appears like a twisted ladder with steps made up of four different molecules.
2. What are the 4 bases? Adenine, Thymine, Cytosine and finally Guanine
3. What 2 peices of information did the scientists need to solve the elusive structure of DNA? How is the information in the DNA strand translated into protein. Which letter sequence makes what.
4. What are the specific base pairs? A and T / C and G
5. How does the pairing rule effect the shape and structure of DNA? The sequence of the pairings form a code, like a four letter alphabet that holds a genetic information.
6. What does the DNA do during cell division? Make a copy of itself.
7. How many base pairs does E. Coli have? How long does it take to replicate? How is the DNA packaged in the cell? 5 million base pairs. very quickly. tightly.
8. How many base pairs does Human DNA have? How long does it take to replicate? How is the DNA packaged in the cell? more then 3 million. very long. in a spiral?
AFTER YOU'VE ANSWERED THE QUESTIONS, TRY PLAYING THE GAME. THEN MOVE ONTO THE NEXT ACTIVITY.
1. What is RNA? How different is it from DNA? RiboNucleic Acid is the copy of the DNA. It has a single strand and the thymine base in DNA is replaced in RNA with uracil.
2. How are the RNA messages formed? By string together three of the four RNA letters (A,G,U,C). These are then called codons.
3. How are the RNA messages interpreted? Each codon corresponds with one single amino acid.
1. Describe cell cycle. An orderly sequence of events that starts when a cell divides to form two daughters to the time the daughter cell begins to divide itself.
2. What is nuclear division. This is when the nucleus divides and involves several subphases also known as karyokinesis.
3. What is interphase. A point that cells spend alot of time in. This is when they do alot of growing and changing getting ready to be synthesized and replicated.
4. Cytokinesis. The cytoplasm divides and two identical daughter cells come forth.
5. Homologous chromosomes. A pair of similar but not identical chromosomes identified as paternal and maternal.
6. Phases of mitosis (5 of them). Interphase, Metaphase, Anaphase, Telophase, Cytokinesis
7. Phases of meiosis and how it is different from mitosis. Meiosis starts out the same as mitosis, but then it splits again after the first cytokinesis to form more chromosomes.
8. Describe the process and purpose of crossing over. The two parent chromosomes touch and switch.
