Download Unit 4 - University of Colorado Boulder

Exam Topics for EBIO 1210, Exam 4
Proteins, DNA, and RNA (Chapter 5)
1. Describe the advantages of using a small number of amino acid monomers to build a
myriad of different proteins.
2. Know what a peptide bond and polypeptide are.
3. Know the difference between and essential and nonessential amino acids. You do NOT
need to know the list of essential amino acids.
4. Understand the differences between primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary protein
structure and know how changes to any of these structural levels may or may not affect
protein function.
5. Explain why sickle cell anemia is more prevalent is some races than others and why
carriers have an advantage in countries with malaria.
The Central Dogma
Nucleic acids: storing and transmitting hereditary information.
6. Know the principal differences between DNA and RNA.
The central dogma is a cellular “chain of command.”
7. Define the “central dogma” in one sentence
8. List the major steps in the process of transcription in the order in which they happen;
describe the roles played by the main molecules or DNA regions that are involved (RNA
polymerase, transcription factors, transcription unit, promoter); describe what is
accomplished during the process of transcription.
9. Describe the difference between introns and exons; explain the role of a spliceosome in
transcription.
10. List the major steps in the process of translation in the order in which they happen;
describe the roles played by the main molecules that are involved (tRNA, aminoacyl
tRNA, ribosomal subunits); describe what is accomplished during the process of
translation.
11. Describe the similarities and differences between bacteria and eukaryotes in gene
expression (What steps are similar? What extra steps do we see in eukaryotes?).
12. List functions that are performed by various RNA molecules during the steps involved in
transcription and translation.
13. Recognize the many steps of gene expression in which complementary base pairs play a
key role, especially with regard to the accurate transfer of genetic information from DNA
all the way to protein.
The genetic code
14. Describe how genetic information is coded in a nucleotide sequence; define a codon, and
anticodon, and the relationship between the two.
15. Write down an imaginary DNA sequence of at least 15 nucleotides. Then do the
following: (a) transcribe the DNA sequence into mRNA, (b) given the universal genetic
code table (fig. 17.5, p. 330 in your textbook), translate the mRNA into a sequence of
amino acids, (c) demonstrate the importance of the “reading frame” during translation,
and (d) put “frameshift” and “substitution” mutations into the DNA sequence and see
what the consequences are for the amino acid sequence.
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Gene Regulation
Gene regulation is essential for the proper functioning of an organism
16. Explain why gene regulation is necessary in all organisms, even those that are singlecelled.
17. Explain why gene regulation is essential for multicellular organisms (a) during
development and (b) with regard to the existence of specialized tissues.
Mechanisms of gene regulation in bacteria and eukaryotes
18. Compare and contrast general mechanisms of gene regulation in bacteria and eukaryotes.
19. Describe the basic features of a bacterial operon; using the example of the trp operon,
explain how the genes of an operon can be “turned on” or “turned off” as needed by a
bacterial cell.
20. Recognize steps in eukaryotic gene expression at which gene regulation can occur; know
that transcriptional regulation is, in general, the most important of these.
21. Describe the roles played by transcription factors in the expression of eukaryotic genes.
22. Define “differential gene regulation” as it applies to a multicellular organism; explain
how patterns of differential gene regulation can be established even though your
differentiated cells all come from what was originally just a single cell (a zygote).
Viruses
23. Explain why a virus isn’t a living organism.
24. Know the common structural features of all viruses.
25. Understand the general features of all viral reproductive cycles and the basic steps of
viral reproduction.
26. Explain why and how the type of genetic material contained in a virus (DNA vs. different
types of RNA) changes the reproductive strategy of a virus; know why retroviruses are
called “retro.”
27. Understand the importance of the structure of a viral protein coat and/or envelope in virus
infection success and virus-host specificity in animals
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