| A | B |
|---|
| adenine | a nitrogen base (A) |
| anticodon | three nucleotide bases found at one end of each tRNA that determines which amino acid the tRNA will carry |
| antisense strand | the side of the double helix that is not transcribed during protein synthesis |
| codon | a sequence of three nucleotide bases in an RNA molecule that codes for one amino acid in a protein |
| complementary | a characteristic of DNA in which A always pairs with T and C always pairs with G |
| cytosine | a nitrogen base (C) |
| double helix | the "twisted ladder" structure of DNA |
| guanine | a notrogen base (G) |
| mRNA | carries the instructions for protein synthesis from the DNA to the ribosome where it acts as a blueprint |
| nucleic acid | an organic acid that is made of nucleotides and controls all activities of the cell |
| nucleotide | an organic molecule made of a five-carbon sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogen base |
| polysome | a group of ribosomes bound to the same molecule of mRNA |
| replication | a process in which a strand of DNA is produced |
| RNA | a single-strand nucleic acid that carries the code for protein synthesis out of the nucleus |
| rRNA | a type of RNA that makes up the ribosomes |
| sense strand | the side of the DNA double helix that is transcribed during protein synthesis |
| thymine | a nitrogen base (T) |
| transcription | the process of copying the DNA code onto a strand of RNA |
| tRNA | delivers amino acids to the mRNA blueprint at the ribosomes |
| translation | the process of assembling amino acids into proteins at the ribosomes according to the code in mRNA |
| triplet | a series of three nucleotides on a DNA molecule that codes for one amino acid |
| uracil | a nitrogen base found in RNA |
| mutation | a change in genetic material that results from an error in replication of DNA |
| chromosomal mutation | a mutation that affect entire chromosomes |
| cancer | a condition in which malignant cells invade and destroy body tissue |
| nondisjunction | the failure of homologous chromosomes to segregate during meiosis |
| point mutation | a mutation in which one base replaces another in the DNA change |
| frameshift mutation | a mutation in which base deletion or insertion cause the gene's message to be translated incorrectly |
