RNA and DNA review

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What is DNA?

Back

DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) is the molecule that carries the genetic instructions for life. It is composed of two strands that coil around each other to form a double helix.

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What is RNA?

Back

RNA (Ribonucleic Acid) is a single-stranded molecule that plays a crucial role in the synthesis of proteins by carrying instructions from DNA.

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What is a codon?

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A codon is a sequence of three nucleotides in mRNA that specifies a particular amino acid or a stop signal during protein synthesis.

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What is transcription?

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Transcription is the process of copying a segment of DNA into RNA. This occurs in the nucleus of the cell.

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What is translation?

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Translation is the process by which ribosomes synthesize proteins using the information carried by mRNA.

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What is the role of mRNA?

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mRNA (messenger RNA) serves as a template for protein synthesis, carrying genetic information from DNA to the ribosome.

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What is the role of tRNA?

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tRNA (transfer RNA) is responsible for bringing the correct amino acids to the ribosome during protein synthesis.

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What is an amino acid?

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Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. There are 20 different amino acids that combine in various sequences to form proteins.

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What is a stop codon?

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A stop codon is a codon that signals the termination of protein synthesis. Examples include UAA, UAG, and UGA.

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What is the start codon?

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The start codon is the first codon of a messenger RNA (mRNA) transcript that is translated by a ribosome. The start codon is AUG, which codes for Methionine.