Friday, February 14, 2025

Selective School & JMSS Maths Practice ACER style Paper 4

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Selective School and JMSS Maths Trial Paper 4

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Selective School & JMSS Maths Practice ACER style Paper 3

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Selective School and JMSS Maths Trial Paper 3

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Selective School & JMSS Maths Practice ACER style Paper 2

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Tuesday, February 11, 2025

Selective School & JMSS Maths Practice ACER style Paper 1

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Saturday, February 1, 2025

1 min Shortcut to find maximal domain and range of a Logarithms function

 


1 min Shortcut tips to memorize Unit Circle

 


Oxygen in DNA and RNA

 No, DNA and RNA do not have the same number of oxygen atoms. The key difference lies in their sugar components:

  • DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) contains deoxyribose, which lacks one oxygen atom at the 2' carbon of the sugar ring.
  • RNA (Ribonucleic Acid) contains ribose, which has an extra hydroxyl (-OH) group at the 2' carbon.

This means RNA has one more oxygen atom per nucleotide than DNA. This difference affects their structure and stability—RNA is generally more reactive and less stable than DNA due to the additional oxygen.

What DNA and RNA have in common

 Yes, both DNA and RNA contain phosphodiester bonds in their backbone. These bonds form between the phosphate group of one nucleotide and the 3' hydroxyl (-OH) group of the sugar in the next nucleotide.

However, there is a slight difference due to their sugar components:

  • In DNA, the sugar is deoxyribose (lacking an -OH at the 2' carbon).
  • In RNA, the sugar is ribose (with an -OH at the 2' carbon).

Despite this, the phosphodiester bond structure is the same in both DNA and RNA, allowing them to form stable nucleotide chains.

How DNA double Helix formed?

The double helix of DNA is formed through a combination of base pairing, hydrogen bonding, and phosphodiester linkages. Here’s how it happens step by step:

1. Backbone Formation (Phosphodiester Bonds)

  • DNA is made of nucleotides, each consisting of a phosphate group, a deoxyribose sugar, and a nitrogenous base (A, T, C, or G).
  • Nucleotides link together through phosphodiester bonds, forming a sugar-phosphate backbone.
  • These bonds occur between the 5' phosphate of one nucleotide and the 3' hydroxyl (-OH) of the next.

2. Base Pairing (Hydrogen Bonds)

  • Two DNA strands run in opposite directions (antiparallel).
  • The nitrogenous bases pair using complementary base pairing:
    • Adenine (A) pairs with Thymine (T) through two hydrogen bonds.
    • Cytosine (C) pairs with Guanine (G) through three hydrogen bonds.
  • These hydrogen bonds help hold the two strands together.

3. Helical Twist (Stacking Interactions)

  • The hydrophobic nature of the nitrogenous bases causes them to stack on top of each other, creating a twisted ladder shape.
  • The hydrophilic sugar-phosphate backbone stays on the outside, interacting with water.
  • The twisting is further stabilized by van der Waals forces between stacked base pairs.

4. Right-Handed Helix

  • The natural form of DNA (B-DNA) twists into a right-handed helix due to structural constraints.
  • One turn of the helix contains about 10 base pairs and spans about 3.4 nm in length.

This unique double-helical structure makes DNA stable and ideal for storing genetic information while allowing replication and transcription.

G-C pairs are stronger than A-T pairs because

 DNA is composed of both A-T (adenine-thymine) pairs and G-C (guanine-cytosine) pairs, which form through complementary base pairing.

Which Pair is Stronger?

G-C pairs are stronger than A-T pairs because:

  • G-C pairs form three hydrogen bonds, whereas
  • A-T pairs form only two hydrogen bonds.

Since more hydrogen bonds mean greater stability, G-C-rich regions of DNA are more resistant to heat and denaturation than A-T-rich regions. This is why organisms living in extreme environments often have DNA with a higher G-C content for extra stability.

What is Pre mRNA ?

 Pre-mRNA (precursor messenger RNA) is made through a process called transcription, which occurs in the nucleus of eukaryotic cells. Here’s how it happens step by step:

1. Initiation

  • RNA polymerase II binds to the promoter region of a gene, typically at the TATA box.
  • Transcription factors help RNA polymerase recognize and attach to the promoter.
  • The DNA strands unwind, exposing the template strand (also called the antisense strand).

2. Elongation

  • RNA polymerase moves along the DNA template strand (3' to 5'), synthesizing pre-mRNA in the 5' to 3' direction.
  • Ribonucleotides (A, U, C, G) pair with their complementary DNA bases (U replaces T in RNA).
  • RNA polymerase catalyzes phosphodiester bonds between nucleotides to form the growing pre-mRNA strand.

3. Termination

  • Transcription continues until RNA polymerase reaches a termination signal (polyadenylation signal: AAUAAA).
  • The pre-mRNA is released, and RNA polymerase detaches from the DNA.

4. Pre-mRNA Processing (Before Becoming Mature mRNA)

Before pre-mRNA can be used for protein synthesis, it undergoes processing:

  1. 5' Capping

    • A modified guanine (7-methylguanosine cap) is added to the 5' end to protect against degradation and help with ribosome recognition.
  2. Splicing

    • Introns (non-coding regions) are removed, and exons (coding regions) are joined together by a complex called the spliceosome.
  3. 3' Polyadenylation

    • A poly-A tail (100-250 adenine nucleotides) is added to the 3' end to protect mRNA stability and help with export from the nucleus.

Final Step: Mature mRNA

  • Once processed, the pre-mRNA becomes mature mRNA and leaves the nucleus for translation in the cytoplasm.

Determine the percentage of the other three nitrogenous bases

 To determine the percentage of the other three nitrogenous bases in a double-stranded DNA molecule containing 13.5% cytosine (C), we use Chargaff’s rule, which states:

  • Cytosine (C) pairs with Guanine (G)equal amounts of C and G
  • Adenine (A) pairs with Thymine (T)equal amounts of A and T
  • Total percentage of all bases = 100%

Step-by-Step Calculation:

  1. Cytosine (C) = 13.5%
  2. Guanine (G) = 13.5% (since C = G)
  3. Total percentage of C and G = 13.5% + 13.5% = 27%
  4. Remaining percentage for A and T = 100% - 27% = 73%
  5. Since A = T, divide by 2:
    • Adenine (A) = 73% ÷ 2 = 36.5%
    • Thymine (T) = 36.5%

Final Answer:

  • Cytosine (C) = 13.5%
  • Guanine (G) = 13.5%
  • Adenine (A) = 36.5%
  • Thymine (T) = 36.5%

DNA has an antiparallel arrangement of its two nucleotide strands

 

What Does "Antiparallel" Mean?

  • DNA consists of two complementary strands running in opposite directions.
  • One strand runs in the 5' to 3' direction, while the other runs in the 3' to 5' direction.

How is this arrangement structured?

  • Each nucleotide has a phosphate group (5' end) and a hydroxyl group (-OH) on the 3' carbon (3' end).
  • The 5' end of one strand aligns with the 3' end of the other strand, creating an antiparallel configuration.
  • This orientation allows complementary base pairing (A-T and G-C) and proper DNA replication and transcription.

Why is the Antiparallel Arrangement Important?

  1. Enables Complementary Base Pairing – A pairs with T, and G pairs with C through hydrogen bonds.
  2. Facilitates DNA Replication – DNA polymerase can only add nucleotides in the 5' to 3' direction, requiring a leading and lagging strand mechanism.
  3. Ensures Stability – The antiparallel structure contributes to the double helix stability and proper packing in cells.

This antiparallel arrangement is essential for DNA function, including replication, transcription, and overall genetic stability.

DNA vs RNA

 DNA and RNA both contain nitrogenous bases, but they have a key difference in one of their bases.

Nitrogenous Bases in DNA:

  1. Adenine (A)
  2. Thymine (T)
  3. Cytosine (C)
  4. Guanine (G)

Nitrogenous Bases in RNA:

  1. Adenine (A)
  2. Uracil (U) (instead of Thymine)
  3. Cytosine (C)
  4. Guanine (G)

Key Difference:

  • DNA contains Thymine (T), while
  • RNA contains Uracil (U) instead of Thymine (T).

This substitution helps distinguish RNA from DNA and affects RNA’s structure and function.