Textbook Question
How does telomerase prevent linear chromosomes from shortening during replication?
Ch. 15 - DNA and the Gene: Synthesis and Repair
Freeman8th EditionBiological ScienceISBN: 9780138276263
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Table of contents
- Ch. 1 - Biology: The Study of Life13
- Ch. 2 - Water and Carbon: The Chemical Basis of Life14
- Ch.3 - Protein Structure and Function10
- Ch.4 - Nucleic Acids and the RNA World10
- Ch. 5 - An Introduction to Carbohydrates10
- Ch. 6 - Lipids, Membranes, and the First Cells11
- Ch. 7 - Inside the Cell10
- Ch. 8 - Energy and Enzymes: An Introduction to Metabolism10
- Ch. 9 - Cellular Respiration and Fermentation11
- Ch. 10 - Photosynthesis12
- Ch. 11 - Cell-Cell Interactions12
- Ch. 12 - The Cell Cycle8
- Ch. 13 - Meiosis12
- Ch. 14 - Mendel and the Gene23
- Ch. 15 - DNA and the Gene: Synthesis and Repair15
- Ch. 16 - How Genes Work16
- Ch. 17 - Transcription, RNA Processing, and Translation16
- Ch. 18 - Control of Gene Expression in Bacteria16
- Ch. 19 - Control of Gene Expression in Eukaryotes12
- Ch. 20 - The Molecular Revolution: Biotechnology, Genomics, and New Frontiers15
- Ch. 21 - Genes, Development, and Evolution12
- Ch. 22 - Evolution by Natural Selection16
- Ch. 23 - Evolutionary Processes13
- Ch. 24 - Speciation15
- Ch. 25 - Phylogenies and the History of Life13
- Ch. 26 - Bacteria and Archaea15
- Ch. 27 - Diversification of Eukaryotes16
- Ch. 28 - Green Algae and Land Plants16
- Ch. 29 - Fungi18
- Ch. 30 - An Introduction to Animals9
- Ch. 31 - Protostome Animals15
- Ch. 32 - Deuterostome Animals17
- Ch. 33 - Viruses16
- Ch. 34 - Plant Form and Function16
- Ch. 35 - Water and Sugar Transport in Plants16
- Ch. 36 - Plant Nutrition13
- Ch. 37 - Plant Sensory Systems, Signals, and Responses16
- Ch. 38 - Flowering Plant Reproduction and Development16
- Ch. 39 - Animal Form and Function17
- Ch. 40 - Water and Electrolyte Balance in Animals16
- Ch. 41 - Animal Nutrition16
- Ch. 42 - Gas Exchange and Circulation16
- Ch. 43 - Animal Nervous Systems16
- Ch. 44 - Animal Sensory Systems16
- Ch. 45 - Animal Movement11
- Ch. 46 - Chemical Signals in Animals16
- Ch. 47 - Animal Reproduction and Development16
- Ch. 48 - The Immune System in Animals16
- Ch. 49 - An Introduction to Ecology15
- Ch. 50 - Behavioral Ecology16
- Ch. 51 - Population Ecology16
- Ch. 52 - Community Ecology20
- Ch. 53 - Ecosystems and Global Ecology17
- Ch. 54 - Biodiversity and Conservation Ecology18
Chapter 15, Problem 8c
What aspect of DNA structure makes it possible for the proteins of nucleotide excision repair to recognize many different types of DNA damage?
(c) the energy differences between correct and incorrect base pairs
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand the basic structure of DNA: DNA is composed of two strands forming a double helix, with each strand consisting of a sequence of nucleotides. Each nucleotide includes a sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base (adenine, thymine, cytosine, or guanine).
Recognize the importance of base pairing: In the DNA double helix, the nitrogenous bases pair specifically (adenine with thymine, and cytosine with guanine) through hydrogen bonds. This specific pairing is crucial for the integrity and function of DNA.
Identify the role of nucleotide excision repair: Nucleotide excision repair is a mechanism that identifies and repairs damaged DNA. It is capable of recognizing a wide variety of DNA lesions, including those caused by UV light and chemical mutagens.
Explore how DNA damage affects base pairing: Damage to DNA often disrupts the normal base pairing, creating mismatches or distortions in the DNA structure. These disruptions can be recognized by repair proteins.
Explain the energy differences between correct and incorrect base pairs: Correct base pairs have stable hydrogen bonds and fit well within the DNA helix, while incorrect base pairs may have weaker or fewer hydrogen bonds, leading to structural distortions. These energy differences and structural changes help repair proteins identify and target damaged areas for repair.
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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
DNA Structure
DNA is composed of two strands forming a double helix, with nucleotides containing bases (adenine, thymine, cytosine, and guanine) paired specifically (A-T and C-G). This structure is crucial for maintaining genetic information and allows for the detection of mismatches or irregularities, which are indicative of damage.
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Discovering the Structure of DNA
Nucleotide Excision Repair
Nucleotide excision repair is a DNA repair mechanism that identifies and removes damaged bases, particularly those caused by UV light or chemical exposure. It involves recognizing distortions in the DNA helix, excising the damaged section, and filling the gap with the correct nucleotides, ensuring genomic integrity.
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Base Pairing Energy Differences
Correct base pairs have specific hydrogen bonding patterns and energy levels that stabilize the DNA structure. Incorrect base pairs disrupt this stability, creating energy differences that can be detected by repair proteins. These differences help nucleotide excision repair proteins identify and target damaged or mismatched bases for correction.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question
What aspect of DNA structure makes it possible for the proteins of nucleotide excision repair to recognize many different types of DNA damage?
(a) the polarity of each DNA strand
Textbook Question
What aspect of DNA structure makes it possible for the proteins of nucleotide excision repair to recognize many different types of DNA damage?
(b) the antiparallel orientation of strands in the double helix
Textbook Question
What aspect of DNA structure makes it possible for the proteins of nucleotide excision repair to recognize many different types of DNA damage?
(d) the regularity of DNA's structure
Textbook Question
In the late 1950s, Herbert Taylor grew bean root-tip cells in a solution of radioactive thymidine (a precursor to one of the deoxyribonucleotides in DNA) and allowed them to undergo one round of DNA replication. He then transferred the cells to a solution without radioactive thymidine, allowed them to replicate again, and examined their chromosomes for the presence of radioactivity. His results are shown in the following figure, where red indicates a radioactive chromatid.
(b) What would the results of Taylor's experiment be if eukaryotes used a conservative mode of DNA replication?
Textbook Question
In the late 1950s, Herbert Taylor grew bean root-tip cells in a solution of radioactive thymidine (a precursor to one of the deoxyribonucleotides in DNA) and allowed them to undergo one round of DNA replication. He then transferred the cells to a solution without radioactive thymidine, allowed them to replicate again, and examined their chromosomes for the presence of radioactivity. His results are shown in the following figure, where red indicates a radioactive chromatid.
(a) Draw labeled diagrams of double-stranded DNA molecules that explain the pattern of radioactivity observed in the sister chromatids after the first and second rounds of replication.