Textbook Question
Mark the following statements about the cytoskeleton as true or false. If a statement is false, correct it to make a true statement.
d. Intermediate filaments are ropelike structures composed of tubulin proteins.
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Ch. 3 The Cell
Chapter 3, Problem 3.12a
Our somatic cells' DNA is distributed among 46_________ in the nucleus.
a. nucleosomes
b. chromatids
c. nucleoli
d. chromosomes
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand that somatic cells are any cells forming the body of an organism, excluding germ cells.
Recognize that DNA in somatic cells is organized into structures within the nucleus.
Recall that nucleosomes are units of DNA wrapped around histone proteins, not the larger structures that contain DNA.
Identify that chromatids are one half of two identical copies of a replicated chromosome, not the structure that DNA is distributed among in its entirety.
Conclude that chromosomes are the structures within the nucleus that contain DNA, and in humans, there are 46 chromosomes in somatic cells.
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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Chromosomes
Chromosomes are long, thread-like structures made of DNA and proteins that contain genetic information. In humans, somatic cells typically have 46 chromosomes, organized in 23 pairs. Each chromosome carries genes that dictate various traits and functions within the organism.
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DNA Replication
Nucleosomes
Nucleosomes are the fundamental units of DNA packaging in eukaryotic cells. They consist of a segment of DNA wound around a core of histone proteins, helping to condense the DNA into a more compact structure. While important for DNA organization, nucleosomes do not represent the complete structure of chromosomes.
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06:52Organization of DNA in the Cell
Chromatids
Chromatids are the two identical halves of a duplicated chromosome, which are joined together at a region called the centromere. During cell division, each chromatid is pulled apart to ensure that each daughter cell receives an identical set of chromosomes. Chromatids are crucial in the process of mitosis and meiosis.
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03:54Prophase
Related Practice
Textbook Question
Mark the following statements about the cytoskeleton as true or false. If a statement is false, correct it to make a true statement.
e. Centrioles are part of the centrosome from which microtubules originate.
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Textbook Question
Mark the following statements about the cytoskeleton as true or false. If a statement is false, correct it to make a true statement.
f. Endocytosis, exocytosis, muscle cell contraction, and cellular 'crawling' are all mediated by intermediate filaments.
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Textbook Question
Explain how and why chromatin is condensed in the nucleus.
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Textbook Question
Which of the following statements correctly describes the function of the nucleolus?
a. Within the nucleolus we find genes for rRNA.
b. Nucleoli manufacture mitochondrial proteins for export to the cytosol.
c. Nucleoli assemble the nuclear envelope.
d. The nucleolus contains the genes that form the Golgi apparatus.
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Textbook Question
Each of the following statements about protein synthesis is false. Correct each to make a true statement.
a. In a gene, each nucleotide specifies one amino acid in a protein sequence.
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