AP Biology Flashcards: Nucleic Acids

What this deck covers

This deck focuses on Nucleic Acids, giving you a quick way to review the definitions, rules, and examples that matter most for AP Biology.

How to use these flashcards

Work through these flashcards in short sessions. Try to answer each prompt before flipping the card, then revisit any cards you miss until the explanation feels automatic.

Flashcard 1: What are the two types of nucleic acids?

Answer: DNA and RNA. The two major classes of nucleic acids found in living organisms.

Flashcard 2: What is the role of a codon?

Answer: Specifies an amino acid. Three-nucleotide sequence that codes for one amino acid.

Flashcard 3: What are the two types of nucleic acids?

Answer: DNA and RNA. The two major classes of nucleic acids found in living organisms.

Flashcard 4: What base does cytosine pair with?

Answer: Guanine. G-C base pairs form three hydrogen bonds in both DNA and RNA.

Flashcard 5: What base does adenine pair with in DNA?

Answer: Thymine. A-T base pairs form two hydrogen bonds in DNA.

Flashcard 6: What is a nucleotide composed of?

Answer: Sugar, phosphate group, nitrogenous base. The basic building block of nucleic acids.

Flashcard 7: Which nitrogenous bases are pyrimidines?

Answer: Cytosine, Thymine, and Uracil. Pyrimidines have single-ring structures with six atoms.

Flashcard 8: What is exonuclease activity?

Answer: Removes nucleotides from ends of DNA. Proofreads and removes incorrect nucleotides during replication.

Flashcard 9: What is the function of DNA polymerase?

Answer: Synthesizes new DNA strands. Adds nucleotides to growing DNA strand during replication.

Flashcard 10: Which RNA carries amino acids to ribosomes?

Answer: tRNA (transfer RNA). Delivers specific amino acids during protein synthesis.

Flashcard 11: Which enzyme synthesizes RNA from a DNA template?

Answer: RNA polymerase. Catalyzes the formation of RNA during transcription.

Flashcard 12: What is the central dogma of molecular biology?

Answer: DNA → RNA → Protein. Describes the flow of genetic information in cells.

Flashcard 13: What is complementary base pairing?

Answer: A pairs with T/U; G pairs with C. Ensures accurate DNA replication and RNA transcription.

Flashcard 14: What is the function of topoisomerase?

Answer: Relieves strain in DNA ahead of replication fork. Prevents overwinding that would halt replication.

Flashcard 15: What is the central dogma of molecular biology?

Answer: DNA → RNA → Protein. Describes the flow of genetic information in cells.

Flashcard 16: What is the function of DNA polymerase?

Answer: Synthesizes new DNA strands. Adds nucleotides to growing DNA strand during replication.

Flashcard 17: What is the main difference between RNA and DNA bases?

Answer: RNA contains uracil; DNA contains thymine. RNA substitutes uracil for thymine found in DNA.

Flashcard 18: What is the structure of DNA?

Answer: Double helix. Two antiparallel strands twisted around each other.

Flashcard 19: What is the primary function of DNA?

Answer: Storing genetic information. DNA serves as the hereditary material in most organisms.

Flashcard 20: What is the function of primase?

Answer: Synthesizes RNA primers. Creates short RNA sequences needed to start DNA synthesis.

Flashcard 21: What base does adenine pair with in RNA?

Answer: Uracil. RNA uses uracil instead of thymine for pairing with adenine.

Flashcard 22: What base does cytosine pair with?

Answer: Guanine. G-C base pairs form three hydrogen bonds in both DNA and RNA.

Flashcard 23: What is the process of synthesizing RNA from DNA called?

Answer: Transcription. The first step in gene expression from DNA to protein.

Flashcard 24: What is the sugar found in RNA?

Answer: Ribose. Ribose has a hydroxyl group on the 2' carbon that DNA lacks.

Flashcard 25: What is complementary base pairing?

Answer: A pairs with T/U; G pairs with C. Ensures accurate DNA replication and RNA transcription.

Flashcard 26: What is a nucleosome?

Answer: DNA wrapped around histone proteins. Basic unit of chromatin packaging in eukaryotes.

Flashcard 27: What is a ribozyme?

Answer: Catalytic RNA molecule. RNA with enzymatic activity, like ribosomal peptidyl transferase.

Flashcard 28: Which nitrogenous bases are pyrimidines?

Answer: Cytosine, Thymine, and Uracil. Pyrimidines have single-ring structures with six atoms.

Flashcard 29: What is the sugar found in DNA?

Answer: Deoxyribose. Deoxyribose lacks the 2' hydroxyl group found in ribose.

Flashcard 30: Which nitrogenous bases are purines?

Answer: Adenine and Guanine. Purines have two-ring structures with nine atoms.

Flashcard 31: Which RNA carries genetic information from DNA?

Answer: mRNA (messenger RNA). Carries genetic instructions from nucleus to ribosomes.

Flashcard 32: What is a mutation?

Answer: A change in the DNA sequence. Can be beneficial, neutral, or harmful to an organism.

Flashcard 33: Which nitrogenous bases are purines?

Answer: Adenine and Guanine. Purines have two-ring structures with nine atoms.

Flashcard 34: What is an anticodon?

Answer: A trinucleotide sequence on tRNA. Complementary sequence that pairs with mRNA codons.

Flashcard 35: What is the structure of RNA?

Answer: Single-stranded. RNA typically exists as a single chain of nucleotides.

Flashcard 36: What is the role of ligase in DNA replication?

Answer: Joins Okazaki fragments. Seals gaps between DNA fragments on the lagging strand.

Flashcard 37: What is the process of synthesizing proteins from RNA called?

Answer: Translation. The final step converting mRNA sequence into protein sequence.

Flashcard 38: Which RNA forms the core of ribosomes?

Answer: rRNA (ribosomal RNA). Structural and catalytic component of protein synthesis machinery.

Flashcard 39: What is the function of primase?

Answer: Synthesizes RNA primers. Creates short RNA sequences needed to start DNA synthesis.

Flashcard 40: What is the function of helicase in DNA replication?

Answer: Unzips the DNA helix. Breaks hydrogen bonds between base pairs to separate strands.

Flashcard 41: What is exonuclease activity?

Answer: Removes nucleotides from ends of DNA. Proofreads and removes incorrect nucleotides during replication.

Flashcard 42: What is the function of snRNPs?

Answer: Involved in RNA splicing. Small nuclear ribonucleoproteins process pre-mRNA.

Flashcard 43: What is the structure of RNA?

Answer: Single-stranded. RNA typically exists as a single chain of nucleotides.

Flashcard 44: Which RNA carries amino acids to ribosomes?

Answer: tRNA (transfer RNA). Delivers specific amino acids during protein synthesis.

Flashcard 45: What is the main difference between RNA and DNA bases?

Answer: RNA contains uracil; DNA contains thymine. RNA substitutes uracil for thymine found in DNA.

Flashcard 46: What is a gene?

Answer: A segment of DNA coding for a protein. Contains instructions for making a specific protein.

Flashcard 47: What is a gene?

Answer: A segment of DNA coding for a protein. Contains instructions for making a specific protein.

Flashcard 48: What is the function of topoisomerase?

Answer: Relieves strain in DNA ahead of replication fork. Prevents overwinding that would halt replication.

Flashcard 49: What is the function of helicase in DNA replication?

Answer: Unzips the DNA helix. Breaks hydrogen bonds between base pairs to separate strands.

Flashcard 50: What is the process of copying DNA called?

Answer: DNA replication. Creates identical copies of DNA for cell division.

Flashcard 51: What is the process of synthesizing RNA from DNA called?

Answer: Transcription. The first step in gene expression from DNA to protein.

Flashcard 52: What is the process of synthesizing proteins from RNA called?

Answer: Translation. The final step converting mRNA sequence into protein sequence.

Flashcard 53: What base does adenine pair with in RNA?

Answer: Uracil. RNA uses uracil instead of thymine for pairing with adenine.

Flashcard 54: What is the function of snRNPs?

Answer: Involved in RNA splicing. Small nuclear ribonucleoproteins process pre-mRNA.

Flashcard 55: What is the structure of DNA?

Answer: Double helix. Two antiparallel strands twisted around each other.

Flashcard 56: Which enzyme removes RNA primers during replication?

Answer: DNA polymerase I. Has 5' to 3' exonuclease activity to remove primers.

Flashcard 57: What is the sugar found in RNA?

Answer: Ribose. Ribose has a hydroxyl group on the 2' carbon that DNA lacks.

Flashcard 58: Which nitrogenous base pairs are stronger?

Answer: G-C pairs (three hydrogen bonds). More hydrogen bonds make G-C pairs more stable than A-T.

Flashcard 59: Which RNA carries genetic information from DNA?

Answer: mRNA (messenger RNA). Carries genetic instructions from nucleus to ribosomes.

Flashcard 60: Which enzyme removes RNA primers during replication?

Answer: DNA polymerase I. Has 5' to 3' exonuclease activity to remove primers.

Flashcard 61: Which nitrogenous base pairs are stronger?

Answer: G-C pairs (three hydrogen bonds). More hydrogen bonds make G-C pairs more stable than A-T.

Flashcard 62: What type of bond holds base pairs together?

Answer: Hydrogen bonds. Weak bonds that allow DNA strands to separate during replication.

Flashcard 63: Which RNA forms the core of ribosomes?

Answer: rRNA (ribosomal RNA). Structural and catalytic component of protein synthesis machinery.

Flashcard 64: What type of bond holds base pairs together?

Answer: Hydrogen bonds. Weak bonds that allow DNA strands to separate during replication.

Flashcard 65: What base does adenine pair with in DNA?

Answer: Thymine. A-T base pairs form two hydrogen bonds in DNA.

Flashcard 66: What is a nucleotide composed of?

Answer: Sugar, phosphate group, nitrogenous base. The basic building block of nucleic acids.

Flashcard 67: What is the primary function of DNA?

Answer: Storing genetic information. DNA serves as the hereditary material in most organisms.

Flashcard 68: What is an anticodon?

Answer: A trinucleotide sequence on tRNA. Complementary sequence that pairs with mRNA codons.

Flashcard 69: What is the process of copying DNA called?

Answer: DNA replication. Creates identical copies of DNA for cell division.

Flashcard 70: What is the role of telomerase?

Answer: Extends telomeres. Prevents chromosome shortening during DNA replication.

Flashcard 71: What is the role of telomerase?

Answer: Extends telomeres. Prevents chromosome shortening during DNA replication.

Flashcard 72: What is the role of a codon?

Answer: Specifies an amino acid. Three-nucleotide sequence that codes for one amino acid.

Flashcard 73: What is a nucleosome?

Answer: DNA wrapped around histone proteins. Basic unit of chromatin packaging in eukaryotes.

Flashcard 74: What is a ribozyme?

Answer: Catalytic RNA molecule. RNA with enzymatic activity, like ribosomal peptidyl transferase.