Chapter 12.3, Problem 1NV

Summary Introduction

To fill:

The correct term accordingly in the given blanks.

Introduction:

DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is an organic molecule, which makes up the genetic material of a living organism. DNA is a hereditary molecule, which is transferred from generation to another and is responsible for bringing all the characteristics of the organism by coding different proteins. DNA codes for mRNA, which codes for amino acids. A string of amino acids forms a protein.

Answer to Problem 1NV

The given blanks can be filled as follows:

S. no.	Correct term
1	Transcription
2	Codon
3	RNA
4	Introns
5	Translation
6	mRNA
7	Exons
8	tRNA
9	RNA polymerase
10	Ribosomal RNA

Explanation of Solution

The genes are a unit of heredity and a gene is made up of DNA. Gene expression is a process, in which DNA is expressed to form a functional protein. For the formation of protein, DNA is converted to RNA and RNA codes the amino acids of the protein. The DNA codes mRNA (messenger RNA) in a process called transcription. During transcription, an enzyme RNA polymerase brings the RNA molecule to form a chain of mRNA.

A sequence of three nucleotides that code for a specific amino acid is known as a codon. The RNA molecules have four types of nucleotides adenine, cytosine, guanine and uracil. In eukaryotes, there are two types of DNA sequences, introns and exons. Introns are the non-coding sequence and exons are coding sequences. mRNA has both exons and introns while transcription. The introns are removed in the process called RNA maturation.

The mRNA codes for the amino acids in the cytoplasm, where the formation of proteins takes place. The process of synthesis of amino acid from mRNA is known as translation. During translation, mRNA passes through the ribosomes, which consist of ribosomal RNA. In the ribosomes, there is a grove for transferring RNA. tRNA molecules carry the amino acid molecule to the ribosomes.