Name ______________________________ Class __________________ Date __________________

Section 1: Identifying DNA as the Genetic Material

Study Guide A
KEY CONCEPT
DNA was identified as the genetic material through a series of experiments.

VOCABULARY

bacteriophage

MAIN IDEA: Griffith finds a “transforming principle.”

Check the appropriate boxes to indicate the results of Griffith’s experiments that
are listed below.

Results

Experiments Mice Lived Mice Died

1. Injected mice with live R bacteria.

2. Injected mice with live S bacteria.

3. Killed S bacteria and injected them into mice.

4. Mixed killed S bacteria with R bacteria and

injected them into mice.

Circle the word or phrase that best completes the statement.

5. The S / R form of bacteria caused disease in the mice.

6. Griffith concluded that there must be a “transforming principle” that changed
harmless bacteria into disease-causing bacteria / mice.

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Holt McDougal Biology 0 From DNA to Proteins

Study Guide A Section 1: Identifying DNA as the Genetic Material
Name ______________________________ Class __________________ Date __________________
Study Guide A continued

MAIN IDEA: Avery identifies DNA as the transforming principle.

7. Avery and his team isolated Griffith’s transforming principle and performed
three tests to learn if it was DNA or protein.
In the table below, check the appropriate boxes to show the results of
each type of test.

Avery’s Question DNA Protein

What type of molecule does the transforming
principle contain?
Are the chemical elements in the transforming principle
more similar to DNA or protein?

Will transformation fail to occur after adding an

enzyme that destroys DNA, or after adding an enzyme
that destroys protein?

MAIN IDEA: Hershey and Chase confirm that DNA is the genetic material.
Fill in the blank with the word or phrase that best completes the sentence.

8. A bacteriophage has two main structures: a DNA molecule and a

protein
_________________ coat.
9. In their first experiment, Hershey and Chase tagged bacteriophages with
radioactive
__________________ sulfur. Protein contains sulfur, but DNA does not.
10. In their second experiment, Hershey and Chase tagged bacteriophages with
radioactive
__________________ phosphorus. DNA contains phosphorus, but protein
contains very little phosphorus.
11. Radioactivity was only present in the bacteria that were infected with
phosphorus-tagged bacteriophages. This result indicated that the
bacteriophages’ _______________
DNA had entered the bacteria, but the protein
had not.

Vocabulary Check
Fill in the blank with the word or phrase that best completes sentence.

virus
12. A bacteriophage is a type of _________________ that infects bacteria.

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Holt McDougal Biology 1 From DNA to Proteins

Study Guide A Section 1: Identifying DNA as the Genetic Material
Name ______________________________ Class __________________ Date __________________
Section 2: Structure of DNA

Study Guide A
KEY CONCEPT
DNA structure is the same in all organisms.

VOCABULARY

nucleotide double helix base pairing rules

MAIN IDEA: DNA is composed of four types of nucleotides.

1. In the space below, draw a nucleotide and label the phosphate group, the
nitrogen-containing base, and the deoxyribose sugar.

Fill in the blank with the word or phrase that best completes the sentence.

4
2. How many types of nucleotides are present in DNA? ___________
3. All nucleotides have two parts that are the same: the deoxyribose sugar and
phosphate group
__________________. the nitrogen-containing base is different.
The third part, _____________________,

MAIN IDEA: Watson and Crick developed an accurate model of DNA’s

three-dimensional structure.
Circle the word or phrase that best completes the statement.

4. Franklin’s data revealed that the structure of DNA is uniform / variable in

width.
5. Watson and Crick determined the three-dimensional shape of DNA by
building models / building genomes.
6. DNA base pairing results in a molecule that has a uniform width. A sugar-
phosphate backbone is on the inside / outside. Inside the structure, a base with
two rings always pairs with a base with one / two ring(s).

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Holt McDougal Biology 2 From DNA to Proteins

Study Guide A Section 2: Structure of DNA
Name ______________________________ Class __________________ Date __________________
Study Guide A continued

MAIN IDEA: Nucleotides always pair in the same way.

A
7. The T nucleotide pairs with the ___________ nucleotide, and the C nucleotide
G
pairs with the ___________ nucleotide.
8. In the space below, draw a DNA double helix. Label the sugar-phosphate
backbone, the nitrogen-containing bases, and the hydrogen bonds.

Vocabulary Check
Fill in the blank with the word or phrase that best completes the sentence.

9. The DNA double helix is similar to a spiral staircase: the

sugar-phosphate backbone
___________________________ is like the twisting handrails of the staircase,
nitrogen-containing bases
and the ______________________________ are like the steps that connect
the railings to each other.
Select from the lettered list to fill in the blanks in the sentence below.

10. The base pairing rules of DNA relate to Chargaff’s rules. The base pairing
rules state that A only pairs with T and C only pairs with G. Therefore, the
equal to
amount of A will be _______________ the amount of T, and the amount of C
equal to
will be ______________ the amount of G.
a. less than
b. more than
c. equal to

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Holt McDougal Biology 3 From DNA to Proteins

Study Guide A Section 2: Structure of DNA
Name ______________________________ Class __________________ Date __________________
Section 3: DNA Replication

Study Guide A
KEY CONCEPT
DNA replication copies the genetic information of a cell.

VOCABULARY

replication DNA polymerase

MAIN IDEA: Replication copies the genetic information.

Fill in the blank or circle the word or phrase that best completes the statement.

1. DNA replication is the process by which DNA is copied / observed during the
cell cycle.
2. DNA replication takes place in the centrosome / nucleus of a eukaryotic cell.
3. DNA is replicated during the M stage / S stage of the cell cycle.
4. DNA replication needs to occur so that every cell / organism will have a
complete set of DNA following cell division.
patern
5. A template is something that serves as a ___________.
6. Suppose that one strand of DNA has the sequence TAGGTAC. Write down
ATCCATG
the sequence of the complementary DNA strand. _______________________

MAIN IDEA: Proteins carry out the process of replication.

7. Circle all of the roles that proteins play during DNA replication.
a. They help unzip the DNA strand.
b. They hold the DNA strands apart.
c. They attach nucleotides to the nucleus.
d. They remove nucleotides from the DNA strands.
e. They bond nucleotides together.

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Holt McDougal Biology 4 From DNA to Proteins

Study Guide A Section 3: DNA Replication
Name ______________________________ Class __________________ Date __________________
Study Guide A continued

Fill in the blank with the word or phrase that best completes the sentence.

hydrogen
8. In order for the DNA strands to separate, the ________________ bonds
connecting base pairs must be broken.
9. DNA replication is called semiconservative because each molecule consists of
old
one ___________ new
strand and one ___________ strand.

Place the following sentences in the correct order to summarize the steps of
replication. Draw a diagram showing each step.
a. Enzymes unzip the helix.
b. Two identical DNA molecules result.
c. DNA polymerase binds nucleotides together to form new strands that are
complementary to the original strands.

10. 11. 12.

a
_______________ c
_______________ b
_______________
_______________ _______________ _______________

MAIN IDEA: Replication is fast and accurate.

Circle the word or phrase that best completes the statement.

13. Human chromosomes have only one / hundreds of origin(s) of replication,

where the DNA is unzipped so replication can begin.
14. DNA polymerase has a proofreading function that enables it to detect errors /
enzymes and correct them.

Vocabulary Check
Fill in the blank with the word or phrase that best completes the sentence.

15. The suffix -ase indicates an enzyme. A polymer is a string of repeating

structural units. DNA polymerase is an enzyme that makes DNA by forming
nucleotides.
bonds between _____________________.

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Holt McDougal Biology 5 From DNA to Proteins

Study Guide A Section 3: DNA Replication
Name ______________________________ Class __________________ Date __________________
Section 4: Transcription

Study Guide A
KEY CONCEPT
Transcription converts a gene into a single-stranded RNA molecule.

VOCABULARY

central dogma messenger RNA (mRNA)

RNA ribosomal RNA (rRNA)
transcription transfer RNA (tRNA)
RNA polymerase

MAIN IDEA: RNA carries DNA’s instructions.

Label the diagram below with each of the following processes: translation,
transcription, and replication.
For each process, write down whether it takes place in the nucleus or in the
cytoplasm of a eukaryotic cell.

1. replication in the nucleus

_______________

DNA RNA Proteins

transcription in the
2. _______________ translation in the
3. _______________
nucleus
_______________ cytoplasm
_______________
____________
Place the following words and letters into the table below to contrast DNA
and RNA.
ribose deoxyribose double single U T

DNA RNA

deoxyribose
4. Contains the sugar ____________ ribose
Contains the sugar ____________

T
5. Has the bases A, C, G, and ________ U
Has the bases A, C, G, and ________

double
6. Typically __________-stranded single
Typically __________-stranded

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Holt McDougal Biology 6 From DNA to Proteins

Study Guide A Section 4: Transcription
Name ______________________________ Class __________________ Date __________________
Study Guide A continued

MAIN IDEA: Transcription makes three types of RNA.

Fill in the blank with the word or phrase that best completes the sentence.

7. The enzyme that helps a cell to make a strand of RNA is called

RNA polymerase
________________________.
8. The following sentences summarize the three key steps of transcription.
Circle the word or phrase that best completes the sentence,
i. A large transcription complex, including RNA polymerase and other
proteins, assembles at the start of a gene / nucleus and begins to unwind
the DNA / RNA.
ii. Using one strand of the DNA as a template, DNA polymerase / RNA
polymerase strings together a complementary strand of RNA.
iii. The RNA strand attaches to / detaches from the DNA as it is transcribed,
and the DNA zips back together.
9. Identify which type of RNA (mRNA, rRNA, and tRNA) performs each of the
following functions.
tRNA
__________ brings amino acids from the cytoplasm to a ribosome to help
make the growing protein.
rRNA
__________ forms part of ribosomes.
mRNA
__________ is an intermediate message that is translated to form a protein.

MAIN IDEA: The transcription process is similar to replication.

10. Check the appropriate boxes to identify whether each of the following
processes is true of transcription, true of replication, or true of both
transcription and replication.

Transcription Replication Both

i. is catalyzed by large enzymes

ii. is highly regulated by the cell

iii. involves complementary base

pairing of the DNA strand
iv. involves unwinding of the DNA
double helix
v. occurs within the nucleus of
eukaryotic cells

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Holt McDougal Biology 7 From DNA to Proteins

Study Guide A Section 4: Transcription
Name ______________________________ Class __________________ Date __________________
Study Guide A continued

11. Check the appropriate boxes to identify whether each of the following end
results is true of transcription, true of replication, or true of both transcription
and replication.

Transcription Replication Both

i. makes a double-stranded copy of all the
DNA in a cell

ii. makes a single-stranded complement of

only a particular DNA sequence.

iii. occurs only once during each round of the

cell cycle

iv. occurs repeatedly throughout the cell cycle

to make proteins, rRNAs, and tRNAs, as
needed by a cell

Vocabulary Check
Fill in the blank with the word or phrase that best completes the sentence.

12. The name of each type of RNA tells what it does.

mRNA is a form of the DNA message that tells the cell what type of
protein
________________ to make.
ribosomes
rRNA is a key component of ______________________.
amino acids
tRNA transfers, or carries, _____________________ from the cytoplasm to
the ribosome.
DNA
13. Transcription is the process of copying a sequence of __________ to produce
RNA
a complementary strand of ________.

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Holt McDougal Biology 8 From DNA to Proteins

Study Guide A Section 4: Transcription
Name ______________________________ Class __________________ Date __________________
Section 5: Translation

Study Guide A
KEY CONCEPT
Translation converts an mRNA message into a polypeptide, or protein.

VOCABULARY

translation stop codon anticodon

codon start codon

MAIN IDEA: Amino acids are coded by mRNA base sequences.

Fill in the blank with the word or phrase that best completes the sentence or
answers the question.

1. Translation is the process that converts an mRNA message into a

polypeptide
_____________.
3
2. A codon is a sequence of ________ nucleotides that code for an amino acid.
3. Would the codons in Figure 5.1 in your textbook be found in a strand of DNA
RNA
or RNA? ____________
nucleotides
4. A reading frame is the order in which _____________ are read.

Refer to Figure 5.1 in this section of your textbook to complete the table below.

Codon Amino Acid or Function

5. AGA arginine (Arg)

6. UAG stop codon

7. UGG tryptophan (Trp)

8. GGA glycine (Gly)

MAIN IDEA: Amino acids are linked to become a protein.

Circle the word or phrase that best completes the statement.

9. Ribosomes / Vesicles and tRNA molecules / DNA polymerase are the tools that
help a cell translate an mRNA message into a polypeptide.

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Holt McDougal Biology 9 From DNA to Proteins

Study Guide A Section 5: Translation
Name ______________________________ Class __________________ Date __________________
Study Guide A continued

10. The small / large subunit of a ribosome holds onto the mRNA strand.
11. The small / large subunit of a ribosome has binding sites for tRNA.
12. A tRNA molecule is attached to a(n) sugar / amino acid at one end and has
a(n) frame / anticodon at the other end.
13. Place the following sentences into the cycle diagram below to outline the steps
of translation.
i. The ribosome pulls the mRNA strand the length of one codon. The first
tRNA exits the ribosome, and another codon is exposed.
ii. The ribosome forms a peptide bond between the amino acids. It breaks the
bond between the first amino acid and tRNA.
iii. An exposed codon attracts a complementary tRNA bearing an amino acid.

Ribosome assembles at A.
iii. An exposed
the start codon of codon attracts a
mRNA strand. complementary tRNA
bearing an amino acid.

C. B.
i. The ribosome pulls the mRNA ii. The ribosome forms a peptide
strand the length of one codon. bond between the amino acids.
The first tRNA exits the It breaks the bond between the
ribosome, and another codon is first amino acid and tRNA.
exposed.

When the ribosome

encounters a stop
codon, it falls apart and
the protein is released.

Vocabulary Check
Fill in the blank with the word or phrase that best completes the sentence.

codons
14. AGG, GCA, and GUU are examples of _________________.
anticodons is a set of three nucleotides on a tRNA molecule that is
15. A(n) __________
complementary to an mRNA codon.
stop codon
16. A ______________ indicates where translation is to stop.

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Holt McDougal Biology 10 From DNA to Proteins

Study Guide A Section 5: Translation
Name ______________________________ Class __________________ Date __________________
Section 6: Gene Expression and Regulation

Study Guide A
KEY CONCEPT
Gene expression is carefully regulated in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.

VOCABULARY

promoter exon
operon intron

MAIN IDEA: Prokaryotic cells turn genes on and off by controlling transcription.

1. Circle two reasons why gene expression is regulated in prokaryotic cells.

a. Regulation allows the cells to live for a longer period.
b. Regulation allows the cells to better respond to stimuli.
c. Regulation allows the cells to promote gene recognition.
d. Regulation allows the cells to conserve energy and materials.

Circle the word or phrase that best completes the statement.

2. In prokaryotic cells, gene expression is typically regulated at the start of

transcription / translation.
3. A(n) operator / promoter is a segment of DNA that helps RNA polymerase
recognize the start of a gene.
4. An exon / operon is a region of DNA that includes a promoter, an
operator, and one or more genes / introns that code for proteins needed
to carry out a task.

Complete the Cause-and-Effect Diagram describing the lac operon on the next
page by putting the letter for each sentence into the appropriate box.
a. Lactose binds to the repressor protein, and the repressor cannot bind
to the operon.
b. Lactose is broken down.
c. RNA polymerase can transcribe the genes.
d. RNA polymerase is blocked by the repressor.
e. The genes are not transcribed.

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Holt McDougal Biology 11 From DNA to Proteins

Study Guide A Section 6: Gene Expression and Regulation
Name ______________________________ Class __________________ Date __________________
Study Guide A continued

The 5. 6.
d. RNA e. The genes
repressor polymerase are not
medium continues is blocked by transcribed.
without lactose to bind to the repressor.
added the
operator.
Bacteria
growing
in culture
7. 8. The 9.
a. Lactose c. RNA b. Lactose is
polymerase resulting broken down.
medium binds to the
repressor can transcribe transcript is
with lactose the genes.
protein, and translated
added the repressor
cannot bind into 3
to the operon. enzymes.

MAIN IDEA: Eukaryotic cells regulate gene expression at many points.

Fill in the blank with the word or phrase that best completes the sentence.

10. The cells in your body differ from each other, because they express different
genes
sets of _________.
11. Transcription factors bind to the DNA and help RNA polymerase know where
starts
a gene __________.
12. A TATA box is a promoter that is found in almost all
eukaryotic
___________________ cells.
13. “Sonic hedgehog” is an example of a ___________
protein that helps control the
expression of many other genes and plays an important role in establishing
body pattern.

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Holt McDougal Biology 12 From DNA to Proteins

Study Guide A Section 6: Gene Expression and Regulation
Name ______________________________ Class __________________ Date __________________
Study Guide A continued

14. The diagrams below represent unprocessed and processed mRNA in a

eukaryotic cell.
Using the diagrams as a reference, fill in the legend with the corresponding
element from the following list: cap, exon, intron, tail.
Legend
Unprocessed mRNA UTA10. cap

exon

Processed mRNA intron

tail

Vocabulary Check
Fill in the blank with the word or phrase that best completes the sentence.

exon
15. An exon differs from an intron. A(n) _______ is a sequence of nucleotides that
intron
is expressed in a protein, whereas a(n) __________ is an intervening sequence
of nucleotides that will be removed during mRNA processing.

unequal
16. A promoter is a DNA segment that allows a gene to be ______________.

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Holt McDougal Biology 13 From DNA to Proteins

Study Guide A Section 6: Gene Expression and Regulation
Name ______________________________ Class __________________ Date __________________
Section 7: Mutations

Study Guide A
KEY CONCEPT
Mutations are changes in DNA that may or may not affect phenotype.

VOCABULARY

mutation frameshift mutation

point mutation mutagen

MAIN IDEA: Some mutations affect a single gene, while others affect an
entire chromosome.

1. From the following list, select the two types of mutations that are gene
mutations and select the two types that are chromosomal mutations.
a. frameshift mutation
b. gene duplication
c. point mutation (substitution)
d. translocation
a&c
Gene mutations: ____________
b&d
Chromosomal mutations: _____________
2. Which type of mutation affects more genes, a gene mutation or a chromosomal
chromosomal mutation
mutation? ___________________

Circle the word or phrase that best completes the statement.

3. Gene duplication happens when there is equal / unequal cross-over event.

4. A translocation happens when a piece of one chromosome attaches to /
detaches from a nonhomologous chromosome.

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Holt McDougal Biology 14 From DNA to Proteins

Study Guide A Section 7: Mutations
Name ______________________________ Class __________________ Date __________________
Study Guide A continued

5. In the boxes below is a string of nucleotides.

a. Use brackets to indicate the reading frame of the nucleotide sequence.
b. Make a point mutation. Circle the mutation.
c. Make a frameshift mutation. Use brackets to indicate how the reading frame
would be altered by the mutation.

a. [A T G][C G T][C C A][T G A]

b. A T G C G T C C A T G A

c. A T G C G T C C A T G A
ATG CGT CCA GAA

MAIN IDEA: Mutations may or may not affect phenotype.

Fill in the Cause-and-Effect Diagram using the phrases listed below to explain how
a point mutation may or may not affect phenotype.
a. altered splice site
b. lack of regulation
c. no change
d. noncoding regions
e. premature stop codon
nonfunctional protein
may
e. premature stop
coding regions result 7. codon
in
8. c. no change
may
Point
occur
mutations
in 9. b. lack of regulation
may
d. noncoding
6. regions result 10. a. altered splice site
in
no change

11. For a mutation to be passed to offspring, it must occur in the

autosomal / germ cells.

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Holt McDougal Biology 15 From DNA to Proteins

Study Guide A Section 7: Mutations
Name ______________________________ Class __________________ Date __________________
Study Guide A continued

MAIN IDEA: Mutations can be caused by several factors.

Fill in the blank with the word or phrase that best completes the sentence.

No
12. Can DNA polymerase catch and correct every replication error? _________
mutagen
13. An agent in the environment that can change DNA is called a _____________.
thymine
14. UV light damages a DNA strand by causing neighboring __________
nucleotides to break their hydrogen bonds to adenine and bond with
each other instead.

Vocabulary Check
Fill in the blank with the word or phrase that best completes the sentence.

DNA
15. A mutation is a change in an organism’s __________.
16. If a nucleotide is deleted from a strand of DNA, what type of mutation
has occurred?
a. frameshift mutation
b. gene duplication
c. point mutation (substitution)
d. translocation

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Holt McDougal Biology 16 From DNA to Proteins

Study Guide A Section 7: Mutations