10.8: End of Chapter Problems
Building Blocks of Nucleic Acids
1. Name the four bases that are present in DNA.
2. Name the four bases that are present in RNA.
3. Name the monosaccharide used to make DNA. Draw in the ß-furanose form.
4. Name the monosaccharide used to make RNA. Draw in the ß-furanose form.
5. Which three components go into making a nucleotide?
6. Shown below is the structure of ATP, a nucleotide triphosphate.
a. How many phosphoester bonds are present in the molecule?
b. How many phosphoanhydride bonds are present?
c. What is the name of the base?
d. What is the name of the monosaccharide?
e. Where is the base attached?
f. What type of bond connects the sugar and the base?
Polynucleotide
Shown below is the structure of a polynucleotide. Answer the following questions based on the structure.
a. Name the monosaccharide in this polynucleotide.
b. Name the bond that connects the heterocyclic amine to the monosaccharide.
c. Name the bond that connects one nucleotide to another.
d. Label the terminus on the polynucleotide with the appropriate nomenclature.
e. Is this polynucleotide a part of RNA or DNA?
f. Write the primary sequence of this nucleotide.
7. Name the two kinds of nucleic acids.
8. Which type of nucleic acid stores genetic information in the cell?
9. What is the primary structure of DNA?
10. What are complementary bases?
11. Why is it structurally important that a purine base always pair with a pyrimidine base in the DNA double helix?
12. Which nitrogenous base in DNA pairs with each nitrogenous base?
cytosine adenine guanine thymine
13. Describe the secondary structure of DNA?
14. What level of structure is disrupted when DNA is denatured?
15. What does it mean to renature DNA?
Information Flow
1. A segment of one strand from a DNA molecule has the sequence 3′‑TCCATGAGTTGA‑5′. What is the sequence of nucleotides in the opposite, or complementary, DNA chain?
2, A segment of one strand from a DNA molecule has the sequence 3′‑CCAGTGAATTGCCTAT‑5′. List the base sequence in a new DNA strand produced by DNA polymerase. What process is this called?
3. A portion of the template strand of a gene has the sequence 3′‑TCCATGAGTTGA‑5′. What is the sequence of nucleotides in the RNA that is formed from this template? What process is this called?
4. A portion of the template strand of a gene has the sequence 3′‑CCAGTGAATTGCCTAT‑5′. What is the sequence of nucleotides in the RNA that is formed from this template? What process is this called?
5. Name three types of RNA and describe their function.
6. A portion of an mRNA molecule has the sequence 5′‑AUGCCACGAGUUGAC‑3′. What amino acid sequence does this code for? What process is this called?
7. A portion of an RNA molecule has the sequence 5′‑AUGCUGAAUUGCGUAGGA‑3′. What amino acid sequence does this code for? What process is this called?
8. The sequence dTATCCT appears in a template strand of DNA.
a. Which base is at the 3'-terminus of this primary structure?
b. What is the sequence in the DNA strand that is complementary to this sequence? Label the terminus.
c. What is the sequence in the RNA strand that is synthesized from this sequence? Label the terminus.
d. What is the sequence of the dipeptide from this strand?
e. Draw the dipeptide in the line bond structure at physiological pH. Label the terminuses.
f. In an aqueous environment will this dipeptide that is part of a larger protein likely to be buried inside the tertiary structure or located on the surface? Explain.
Mutation
1. Define the term mutation.
2. Are all mutations harmful to an individual? Explain.
3. Are all mutations passed on to an offspring?
4. What level of protein structure is affected by a mutation?
5. A mutation produces a DNA polymerase with lower than normal effectiveness at proofreading and repair. Could an individuals health be impacted by this mutation?