DNA(Deoxyribonucleic Acid)

A HISTORY OF DNAA HISTORY OF DNA

• Discovery of the DNA double helixDNA double helix

A. Frederick Griffith – Discovers that a factor in diseased bacteria can transform harmless bacteria into deadly bacteria (1928)

B. Rosalind Franklin - X-ray photo of DNA.(1952)

C. Watson and Crick - described the DNA molecule from Franklin’s X-ray.(1953)

Watson & Crick proposed…Watson & Crick proposed…

•DNA had specific pairing between the DNA had specific pairing between the nitrogen bases:nitrogen bases:

ADENINEADENINE – – THYMINETHYMINE

CYTOSINECYTOSINE - - GUANINEGUANINE

•DNA was made of DNA was made of 22 long stands of long stands of nucleotides arranged in a specific way nucleotides arranged in a specific way

called the called the “Complementary Rule”“Complementary Rule”

DNA Double HelixDNA Double Helix

NitrogenousNitrogenousBase (A,T,G or C)Base (A,T,G or C)

““Rungs of ladder”Rungs of ladder”

““Legs of ladder”Legs of ladder”

Phosphate &Phosphate &Sugar BackboneSugar Backbone

Genetic material of cells…Genetic material of cells…

• GENES – units of genetic material that GENES – units of genetic material that CODES FOR A SPECIFIC TRAITCODES FOR A SPECIFIC TRAIT

• Called Called NUCLEIC ACIDSNUCLEIC ACIDS

• DNA is made up of repeating molecules DNA is made up of repeating molecules called called NUCLEOTIDESNUCLEOTIDES

DNA NucleotideDNA Nucleotide

OO=P-O O

PhosphatePhosphate GroupGroup

NNitrogenous baseNitrogenous base (A, G, C, or T)(A, G, C, or T)

CH2

O

C1C4

C3 C2

5

SugarSugar(deoxyribose)(deoxyribose)

DNA Double HelixDNA Double Helix

P

P

P

O

O

O

1

23

4

5

5

3

3

5

P

P

PO

O

O

1

2 3

4

5

5

3

5

3

G C

T A

Nitrogenous BasesNitrogenous Bases

• PURINESPURINES

1. Adenine (A)Adenine (A)

2. Guanine (G)Guanine (G)

• PYRIMIDINESPYRIMIDINES

3. Thymine (T)Thymine (T)

4. Cytosine (C)Cytosine (C) T or C

A or G

Chargaff’s RuleChargaff’s Rule

• AdenineAdenine must pair with ThymineThymine

• GuanineGuanine must pair with CytosineCytosine

• Their amounts in a given DNA molecule will be about the sameabout the same.

G CT A

BASE-PAIRINGSBASE-PAIRINGS

CG

H-bonds

T A

DNA is wrapped tightly around histones and coiled tightly to form

chromosomes

Genetic Diversity…Genetic Diversity…

• Different Different arrangements of arrangements of NUCLEOTIDESNUCLEOTIDES in a in a nucleic acid (DNA) nucleic acid (DNA) provides the key to provides the key to DIVERSITYDIVERSITY among among living organisms.living organisms.

Functions

The Code of Life…The Code of Life…

• The “code” of the chromosome is the The “code” of the chromosome is the SPECIFIC ORDERSPECIFIC ORDER that bases occur. that bases occur.

A T C G T A T G C G G…A T C G T A T G C G G…

DNA DNA ReplicationReplication• DNA must be copiedDNA must be copied

• The DNA molecule produces The DNA molecule produces 2 2 IDENTICALIDENTICAL new complementary new complementary strands following the rules of strands following the rules of base pairing: base pairing:

A-T, G-CA-T, G-C

•Each strand of the Each strand of the original DNA serves as original DNA serves as a template for the new a template for the new strandstrand

DNA DNA ReplicationReplication• Semi-conservative Semi-conservative

Model:Model:

1. Watson and Crick Watson and Crick showed:showed: the two strands of the parental molecule separate, and each functions as a template for synthesis of a new complementary strand.

. Parental DNA

DNA Template

New DNA

(1961)(1961) Watson & Crick proposed… Watson & Crick proposed…• ……DNA controlled cell function by DNA controlled cell function by

serving as a template for serving as a template for PROTEINPROTEIN structure.structure.

• 3 Nucleotides = a triplet or 3 Nucleotides = a triplet or CODONCODON(which code for a specific AMINO ACID)(which code for a specific AMINO ACID)

• AMINO ACIDSAMINO ACIDS are the building blocks are the building blocks of proteins.of proteins.

DNA DNA TranscriptionTranscription

• DNA can “unzip” DNA can “unzip” itself and itself and RNARNA nucleotides match nucleotides match up to the DNA up to the DNA strand.strand.

• Both DNA & RNA Both DNA & RNA are formed from are formed from NUCLEOTIDESNUCLEOTIDES and and are called are called NUCLEICNUCLEIC acids.acids.

DNA DNA TranslationTranslation

• The cell uses The cell uses information from information from “messenger” RNA “messenger” RNA to produce proteinsto produce proteins

AMAZING DNA FACTS…AMAZING DNA FACTS…

• DNA from a single human DNA from a single human cell extends in a single cell extends in a single thread for almost 2 meters thread for almost 2 meters long!!!long!!!

• It contains information It contains information equal to some 600,000 equal to some 600,000 printed pages of 500 words printed pages of 500 words each!!! each!!! (a library of about 1,000 books)(a library of about 1,000 books)

RNA

Subdivisions

• mRNA – messenger RNA

• rRNA - ribosomal RNA

• tRNA – transfer RNA

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