Lecture 1 Basics of DNA structure and function

DNA

genotype

gene
chromosome
mRNA

environment

genome
transcriptome

proteome

proteins

cell

organism

phenotype

Lecture 1 Basics of DNA structure and function

LINE and SINE long and short interspersed elements

Lecture 1 Basics of DNA structure and function

What constitutes a gene?

Transcription unit
1.
2.
3.
4.

5UTR
Exons
Introns
3UTR

Regulatory region
1. Promoter
2. Enhancer
3. Silencer

Lecture
Basics
of DNA structure and function
What is1DNA
Structure??
Phosphodiester linkage
Complementary (A=T, C=G, pairing)

Pairs of complementary bases form hydrogen bonds that

hold the two strands of the DNA double helix together.
Why weak bonds?
(H only 3% strength of covalent)

Each phosphate group links the 3 carbon of one

sugar to the 5 carbon of the next sugar along the
backbone.

3 end

TA pairs have two

hydrogen bonds.

CG pairs have three hydrogen

bonds.

3 end

The strands both run in a 5-to3 directionthey are

5 end

Lecture 1 Basics of DNA structure and function

DNA is a nucleic acids

Lecture 1 Basics of DNA structure and function

Nucleic Acids: RNA and DNA

Complementarity

Lecture 1 Basics of DNA structure and function

transcriptome
translation
proteome

proteins

Lecture 1 Basics of DNA structure and function

Post-translational modifications of proteins

Lecture 1 Basics of DNA structure and function

Protein activity!

Lecture 1 Basics of DNA structure and function

How is DNA organized in a cell?

Cell nuclei contain chromatin that can be

resolved as 30nm threads
Experimental unraveling (decondensation) of
chromatin threads reveals beads on a string
Chromatin is composed of DNA (string) and
proteins (beads)

Lecture
Basics
of DNA structure and function
What is1DNA
Structure??
Chromatin = DNA + protein
histones (H1, H2A, H2B, H3, H4)

H1
nucleosome

Does DNA structure fulfill requirements?

1. faithful replication
complementarity
2. informational content
sequence
3. variation
mutation/cross-overs
DNA controls traits heredity
Biotechnology manipulate system