COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

Section 10.1

Question 1

1.Draw an RNA nucleotide and a DNA nucleotide, highlighting the differences. How is the structure of RNA similar to that of DNA? How is it different?

Question 2

2.What are the major classes of cellular RNA?

Section 10.2

Question 3

3.What parts of DNA make up a transcription unit? Draw a typical bacterial transcription unit and identify its parts.

Question 4

4.What is the substrate for RNA synthesis? How is this substrate modified and joined together to produce an RNA molecule?

Section 10.3

Question 5

5.What are the three basic stages of transcription? Describe what takes place at each stage.

Question 6

6.How are transcription and replication similar and how are they different?

Section 10.5

Question 7

7.What are the three principal elements in mRNA sequences in bacterial cells?

Question 8

8.What is the function of the Shine–Dalgarno consensus sequence?

Question 9

9.What is the 5′ cap?

Question 10

10.What is the function of the spliceosome?

Question 11

11.What is alternative splicing? How does it lead to the production of multiple proteins from a single gene?

Question 12

12.Summarize the different types of processing that can take place in pre-mRNA.

Question 13

13.Briefly describe the structure of tRNAs.

Question 14

14.What is the origin of small interfering RNAs and microRNAs? What do these RNA molecules do in the cell?

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