Download DNA Review Packet

DNA Review Packet
#1-13
S
Question 1
S Q1. What is DNA and why is it important to Forensic
Science?
S DNA is the molecule that carries the body’s genetic
information. It is important to FS because portions of
the DNA structure of certain genes are unique to each
individual. This allows FS to link biological evidence
to a single individual with certainty.
Question 2
S Q2. What are genes and what is their function? Of
what are genes composed of and where are they
located?
S Genes are the fundamental units of heredity. Their
function is to instruct cells in the body to make
proteins. Genes are composed of DNA and they are
located on chromosomes within the nucleus.
Question 3
S Q3. With what discovery are James Watson and
Francis Crick credited?
S A3. James Watson and Francis Crick are credited with
discovering the structure of DNA.
Question 4
S Q4. DNA is a large molecule created by linking a series
of repeating units. What is this type of molecules
called? What are the repeating units known as?
S DNA is a large molecule called a polymer. DNA is
composed of a series of repeating units called
nucleotides. The monomers of DNA are nucleotides.
Question 5
S Q5. Describe the basic structure of DNA.
S The basic structure of the DNA molecule is that of a
double helix or twisted ladder.
Question 6
S Q6. Name the 4 bases associated with DNA. How are
the bases paired on the DNA molecule?
S The 4 bases are Adenine, thymine, cytosine and
guanine.
S A-T
S G-C
Q7. What aspects of DNA
defines the role and function of
a DNA molecule?
S The order in which the base pairs are arranged defines
the role and function of a DNA molecule.
Q8. DNA controls inheritable
traits by producing complex
molecules called?
S proteins
Q9. How are proteins made?
What determines the shape and
function of a protein molecule?
S Proteins are made by linking a combination of amino
acids through the processes of transcription and
translation.
S The sequence of amino acids in a protein chain
determines the shape and function of the protein.
Q11. Briefly describe the
process of DNA replication
SDNA replication
S Starts with the separation of DNA strands
S Then enzymes use each strand as a template
S To assemble new nucleotides into complementary strands
S Many enzymes and proteins, such as DNA
polymerases, are involved in unwinding the DNA,
keeping the DNA strands apart, and assembling the
new DNA strands.
Q12. What is PCR? Why is it
useful to forensic scientists?
S Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a technique for
replicating small quantities of DNA or broken pieces
of DNA found at a crime scene, outside a living cell.
S The ability to multiply small bits of DNA now means
that sample size is no longer a limitation in
characterizing DNA recovered at a crime scene.
Q13. What are tandem repeats?
How are they useful to forensic
scientists?
S Tandem repeats are regions of a chromosome that
contain multiple copies of a core DNA sequence
arranged in a repeating fashion.
S They are useful to FS because they offer a means of
distinguishing one individual from another through
DNA typing.