Biology 172

Prokaryote Genomes

Pro=1 (one-celled organisms like bacteria)

Virus= virion= nucleic acid enclosed in protein shell which is a capsid, therefore not a true prokaryote.

Viral Genomes can be:

 DNA viruses

                Double strand DNA

                Single strand DNA

RNA viruses

                Double strand RNA

                Single strand RNA

Genes are placed along DNA

Some important chemical reactions that occur with the translation and transcription of DNA and RNA make the product tryptophan.

*An important subject to study up on is "operons" and their functions

The main theme for this quarter will be evolution and ecology

Evolution: naturally selects variable genes to survive the future or surrounding elements

Bacteria consist of: proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids

Their cell wall is carbohydrate material

Nucleus has a phospholipid bilayer

Viruses are not true prokaryotes because

·         they need a host to reproduce

·         they take over host's DNA replication

Makes viral DNA--> goes under "self-assembly"-->erupts out of cell membrane to attack other cells

Viruses are very good at mutation and they become immune to the anti-viruses.

*See Table  19.1 for a list of viruses and their functions

Envelope viruses have glycoproteins that penetrate into the membranes of other cells.