DNA and RNA, part 2

14-10-14 4:18

DNA and RNA, part 2

Due: 3:00pm on Wednesday, September 24, 2014
You will receive no credit for items you complete after the assignment is due. Grading Policy

The Double Helix

DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, contains the genetic information that is used by all living things to produce their
biomolecules essential for life. DNA is a double helix, with two strands. The two strands are held together by hydrogen
bonds between complementary nitrogenous bases. The two strands are always complementary, ensuring that the DNA
can be replicated accurately. The two complementary DNA strands always run in opposite directions: One runs from 5' to
3', and the other runs from 3' to 5', if you are looking along the strand, as seen in the image.

Part A
Pair up the nucleotide bases with their complementary partners.
Drag each item to the appropriate bin.

Hint 1. The difference between purines and pyrimidines

The complementary partners in a DNA base pair are always made up of one purine and one pyrimidine, never
two purines or two pyrimidines. Purines are the nucleotides that have the double-ring structures. Pyrimidines
are the nucleotides that have the single-ring structures. An easy way to think of it is that the longer names
(pyrimidines) have the smaller rings, and the shorter name (purines) have the bigger rings.

Hint 2. Distinguish purines from pyrimidines

Distinguish the purines from the pyrimidines.
Drag each item to the appropriate bin.
ANSWER:

http://session.masteringbiology.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?displayMode=studentView&assignmentID=2980555

1 15

DNA and RNA, part 2

14-10-14 4:18

ANSWER:

http://session.masteringbiology.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?displayMode=studentView&assignmentID=2980555

2 15

DNA and RNA, part 2

14-10-14 4:18

Correct
In a DNA sequence, the purine adenine always pairs with the pyrimidine thymine, and the purine guanine always
pairs with the pyrimidine cytosine.

Part B
Write the complementary sequence for the following DNA sequence, in order from 3' to 5':

5 CGATATTGAGCTAAGCTT 3

Use all capital letters to write the DNA sequence.

Hint 1. The definition of a complementary sequence

Each of the four nucleotides found in DNA has one complementary partner. Adenine (A ) always pairs with
thymine (T ) and guanine (G ) always pairs with cytosine (C ) on the complementary DNA strand. The two
complementary strands always pair up, each strand running in opposite directions. Below is an example of a
DNA sequence and its complement.
Sequence

5 ATGCTACG 3

Complement

3 TACGATGC 5

Hint 2. Select the complementary sequence

As an example, select the complementary sequence for the following:

5 ATGC 3

http://session.masteringbiology.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?displayMode=studentView&assignmentID=2980555

3 15

DNA and RNA, part 2

14-10-14 4:18

ANSWER:

3
3
3
3

ATGC 5
CGTA 5
TACG 5
GCAT 5

ANSWER:

3 GCTATAACTCGATTCGAA 5
Correct

Part C
Rank the following base pairs according to their stability.
Rank from most to least stable. To rank items as equivalent, overlap them.

Hint 1. Hydrogen bonds and base-pair stability

In general, the stability of a base pair is determined by the number of hydrogen bonds between the two bases.
The more hydrogen bonds between the bases, the more stable the base pair is.

Hint 2. Determine the number of hydrogen bonds between bases

Which of the three base pairs has the largest number of hydrogen bonds between the bases?
ANSWER:

http://session.masteringbiology.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?displayMode=studentView&assignmentID=2980555

4 15

DNA and RNA, part 2

14-10-14 4:18

adenine-thymine

adenine-cytosine

guanine-cytosine

ANSWER:

http://session.masteringbiology.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?displayMode=studentView&assignmentID=2980555

5 15

DNA and RNA, part 2

14-10-14 4:18

Correct
The base pair adenine-cytosine occurs very rarely in nature. It only happens during a mutation event. When the
DNA is replicated, one of the two daughters will contain a guanine-cytosine base pair in the location of the
mutation, and the other daughter will contain an adenine-thymine base pair.

Chemistry Review - Nucleic Acids: Structure

Review the Structure tutorial.

Then answer the questions.

Part A
RNA nucleotides contain __________ than DNA nucleotides.
http://session.masteringbiology.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?displayMode=studentView&assignmentID=2980555

6 15

DNA and RNA, part 2

14-10-14 4:18

ANSWER:
more oxygen
less phosphorus
less oxygen
different purines
None of the above.

Correct
Good thinking! RNA uses the sugar ribose, which has one more oxygen atom than the sugar used in DNA
(deoxyribose).

Part B
The orange unit with two linked rings in this diagram represents ....

ANSWER:
a nucleotide.
a pyrimidine.
a sugar.
a purine.
an amino acid.

Correct
Yes! Purines have two linked rings.

Part C
How likely is it that the next base, out of sight at the top of this polymer, is uracil?

http://session.masteringbiology.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?displayMode=studentView&assignmentID=2980555

7 15

DNA and RNA, part 2

14-10-14 4:18

ANSWER:
It's sure to be uracil, since A, C, and G are already present.
The chances are very good, since the bases are equally common.
Not a chance, since this is a DNA molecule, not an RNA molecule.
It's as likely as any of the bases; about one chance in four.
Since RNA has five bases, there is one chance in five.

Correct
Good thinking! The sugars tell you this is DNA, which doesn't have uracil.

Part D
Which statement helps to explain how DNA stores hereditary information?
ANSWER:
DNA is a self-replicating type of protein.
DNA binds a master copy of each kind of protein.
DNA contains 20 kinds of amino acids.
DNA contains four kinds of nitrogenous bases.
DNA is made from thousands of kinds of monomers.

Correct
Correct! Information is stored in the sequence of nitrogenous bases along the DNA polymer. The bases include
two kinds of pyrimidines and two kinds of purines.

Part E
DNA and mRNA differ with respect to ...

http://session.masteringbiology.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?displayMode=studentView&assignmentID=2980555

8 15

DNA and RNA, part 2

14-10-14 4:18

ANSWER:
Both (a) and (b).
(c) how many kinds of nucleotides are used to make the polymer.
(b) the kinds of purines they contain.
(a) the kind of sugar they contain.
(d) the ability to make a double helix.

Correct
Right! RNA uses ribose; DNA uses deoxyribose. The polymer names reflect this difference: RNA is short for
Ribonucleic acid; DNA is short for deoxyribonucleic acid.

Chapter 4 Blue Thread Question 2

Part A

http://session.masteringbiology.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?displayMode=studentView&assignmentID=2980555

9 15

DNA and RNA, part 2

14-10-14 4:18

When double-stranded DNA is heated to 95C, the

bonds between complementary base pairs break
to produce single-stranded DNA. Considering this
observation, is the strand separation step required
for replication of the double helix spontaneous?
Why or why not?

Hint 1.
Review Chapter 2, Section 3 on spontaneous reactions.
ANSWER:
Yes. A continuous input of energy is required.
No. A continuous input of energy is required.
Yes. Energy is released.
No. Energy is released.

http://session.masteringbiology.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?displayMode=studentView&assignmentID=2980555

10 15

DNA and RNA, part 2

14-10-14 4:18

Correct
Correct. Chemical reactions are spontaneous if they can proceed on their own, without any continuous external
influence such as added energy (in this case heat).

Chapter 4 Blue Thread Question 3

Part A
Complementary base pairing is possible only if two
DNA strands align in antiparallelinstead of
parallelfashion. Which statement best explains
why?

Hint 1.
Review Figure 4.6b and the interactions responsible for complementary base pairing.
ANSWER:
Only antiparallel strands create the geometry that allows complementary base pairs to form via van der
Waals interactions.
Only antiparallel strands contain unusual backbone atoms which allow complementary base pairing
Only antiparallel strands create the geometry that allows complementary base pairs to form via hydrogen
bonding.
Only antiparallel strands contain the nitrogenous bases necessary to form complementary base pairs.

Correct
Correct. Given the bond angles and distances in nucleotides, a DNA double helix anchored by complementary
base pairing is possible only with antiparallel polynucleotide strands.

http://session.masteringbiology.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?displayMode=studentView&assignmentID=2980555

11 15

DNA and RNA, part 2

14-10-14 4:18

Chemistry Review - Nucleic Acids: Functions of Nucleic Acids

Review the Functions tutorial.

Then answer the questions.

Part A
Which statement is true of nucleic acids?
ANSWER:
(a) rRNA positions amino acids along mRNA.
(b) mRNA binds amino acids together to make proteins.
(c) mRNA is part of the ribosome.
(d) DNA carries information for making RNA.
Both (b) and (d).

Correct
Correct! All RNA is made by copying segments of DNA.

Part B
The information in DNA tells a cell how to make ...
ANSWER:
(a) proteins.
(b) DNA.
(c) tRNA.
Both (a) and (b).
(a), (b), and (c).

http://session.masteringbiology.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?displayMode=studentView&assignmentID=2980555

12 15

DNA and RNA, part 2

14-10-14 4:18

Correct
Excellent! The information in DNA tells how to make every nucleic acid and protein that the cell's parent could
make.

Part C
The green molecules in the diagram ...

ANSWER:
(a) contain the base uracil.
(b) contain the sugar deoxyribose.
(c) are made by copying RNA.
Both (a) and (c).
(a), (b), and (c).

Correct
Great! All kinds of RNA contain uracil.

Part D
Which statement is true of the process in the animation below?

http://session.masteringbiology.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?displayMode=studentView&assignmentID=2980555

13 15

DNA and RNA, part 2

14-10-14 4:18

ANSWER:
(a) It's called DNA replication.
(b) Cells do it to produce proteins.
(c) Its product contains the nitrogenous base thymine.
Both (a) and (b).
Both (b) and (c).

Correct
Correct! All the information stored in DNA is concerned, directly or indirectly, with making proteins. The process
you see here is called transcription. Its products help to build proteins.

Chapter 4 Blue Thread Question 5

Part A

http://session.masteringbiology.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?displayMode=studentView&assignmentID=2980555

14 15

DNA and RNA, part 2

14-10-14 4:18

DNA molecules with a high percentage of guanine

(G) and cytosine (C) are particularly stable. Why?

Hint 1.
Review Figure 4.6b and think about the interactions that stabilize complementary base pairs.
ANSWER:
G-C base pairs stack more tightly than A-T base pairs in the interior of the double helix.
G and C form more hydrogen bonds with water, making the DNA more hydrophilic.
A G-C base pair has three hydrogen bonds, while an A-T base pair has two.
Bases are closer together in a G-C pair than an A-T pair.

Correct
Correct. G-C base pairs are more stable than A-T base pairs.

Score Summary:
Your score on this assignment is 90.4%.
You received 5.42 out of a possible total of 6 points.

http://session.masteringbiology.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?displayMode=studentView&assignmentID=2980555

15 15