Table of contents

1. Matter and Measurements4h 31m
2. Atoms and the Periodic Table5h 23m
3. Ionic Compounds2h 18m
4. Molecular Compounds2h 18m
5. Classification & Balancing of Chemical Reactions3h 17m
6. Chemical Reactions & Quantities2h 27m
7. Energy, Rate and Equilibrium3h 46m
8. Gases, Liquids and Solids3h 25m
9. Solutions4h 10m
10. Acids and Bases3h 29m
11. Nuclear Chemistry56m
BONUS: Lab Techniques and Procedures1h 38m
BONUS: Mathematical Operations and Functions47m
12. Introduction to Organic Chemistry1h 34m
13. Alkenes, Alkynes, and Aromatic Compounds2h 12m
14. Compounds with Oxygen or Sulfur1h 6m
15. Aldehydes and Ketones1h 1m
16. Carboxylic Acids and Their Derivatives1h 11m
17. Amines39m
18. Amino Acids and Proteins1h 51m
19. Enzymes1h 37m
20. Carbohydrates1h 41m
21. The Generation of Biochemical Energy2h 8m
22. Carbohydrate Metabolism2h 22m
23. Lipids2h 26m
24. Lipid Metabolism1h 45m
25. Protein and Amino Acid Metabolism1h 37m
26. Nucleic Acids and Protein Synthesis2h 54m

26. Nucleic Acids and Protein Synthesis

Processing of pre-mRNA

GOB Chemistry

26. Nucleic Acids and Protein Synthesis

Processing of pre-mRNA

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1:23 minutes

Problem 14

Textbook Question

What is the function of the spliceosome in hnRNA?

Verified step by step guidance

Understand that hnRNA (heterogeneous nuclear RNA) is the precursor to mRNA (messenger RNA) in eukaryotic cells. It contains both exons (coding regions) and introns (non-coding regions).

Recognize that the spliceosome is a large molecular complex made up of proteins and small nuclear RNAs (snRNAs). Its primary function is to process hnRNA by removing introns and joining exons together.

Learn that the spliceosome identifies specific sequences at the intron-exon boundaries, such as the 5' splice site, the branch point, and the 3' splice site, to accurately perform splicing.

Understand that the spliceosome catalyzes two transesterification reactions: the first cuts the 5' splice site and forms a lariat structure with the branch point, and the second cuts the 3' splice site and joins the exons together.

Realize that the final product of this process is mature mRNA, which is ready for translation into a protein. The spliceosome ensures that only the necessary coding sequences are retained in the mRNA.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Spliceosome

The spliceosome is a complex molecular machine found in the nucleus of eukaryotic cells. It is responsible for the splicing of pre-messenger RNA (hnRNA), which involves the removal of non-coding sequences (introns) and the joining of coding sequences (exons). This process is crucial for the maturation of hnRNA into functional mRNA, which can then be translated into proteins.

hnRNA (Heterogeneous Nuclear RNA)

Heterogeneous nuclear RNA (hnRNA) refers to the primary transcript of eukaryotic genes, which includes both exons and introns. hnRNA is initially synthesized from DNA and undergoes several processing steps, including capping, polyadenylation, and splicing, to become mature mRNA. Understanding hnRNA is essential for grasping how gene expression is regulated at the RNA level.

RNA Splicing

RNA splicing is the process by which introns are removed from hnRNA and exons are joined together to form a continuous coding sequence. This process is facilitated by the spliceosome and is vital for generating mature mRNA that accurately reflects the coding information of the gene. Proper splicing is crucial for the correct expression of genes and the production of functional proteins.

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