Download AP BIOLOGY STUDY GUIDE: CH 17, FROM GENE TO PROTEIN

AP BIOLOGY STUDY GUIDE: CH 17, FROM GENE TO PROTEIN
The Gene—Protein Connection
1.
What was Archibald Garrod’s contribution to molecular biology?
2.
Describe Beadle and Tatum's Neurospora experiments and their contribution to our understanding of
how genes control metabolism.
3.
How does the current understanding of what a gene is differ from Beadle and Tatum’s” "one gene-one
enzyme" hypothesis?
4.
How do RNA and DNA differ?
5.
Distinguish between transcription and translation. Where do they occur in prokaryotes and in
eukaryotes?
6.
What is a "codon"? How many codons are there? How were the first codons identified?
7.
Explain why polypeptides begin with methionine when they are synthesized.
8.
How is the genetic code both redundant and unambiguous?
9.
What is a reading frame?
mRNA Synthesis and Processing
10. Explain how RNA polymerase recognizes where transcription should begin. Describe the promoter, the
terminator, and the transcription unit.
11. Explain the general process of transcription, including the three major steps of initiation, elongation, and
termination.
12. Discuss post-transcriptional mRNA processing in eukaryotes. Be sure to contrast exons and introns.
What is the functional and evolutionary significance of introns?
13. What are ribozymes? What do they do?
Protein Synthesis
14. Describe the structure and functions of tRNA.
15. Describe the structure and functions of ribosomes.
16. Describe the process of translation (including initiation, elongation, and termination). Include the
enzymes, protein factors, and energy sources needed for each stage.
17. Describe the significance of polyribosomes.
18. Explain what determines the primary structure of a protein and describe how a polypeptide must be
modified before it becomes fully functional.
19. What determines whether a ribosome will be free in the cytosol or attached to the rough endoplasmic
reticulum?
20. Briefly compare protein synthesis in prokaryotes and eukaryotes.
21. Define "point mutations." Distinguish between base-pair substitutions and base-pair insertions. Give
examples of each and note the significance of such changes.
22. Describe several examples of mutagens and explain how they cause mutations.