M.E.

S INDIAN SCHOOL, DOHA - QATAR

Notes 2020 - 2021

Section : BOYS AND GIRLS Date: 19.09.2020

Class & Div. : XII (ALL DIVISIONS) Subject: BIOLOGY
Lesson / Topic: CHAPTER 6. MOLECULAR BASIS OF INHERITANCE. NOTE IV
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PACKAGING OF DNA IN PROKARYOTES/ BACTERIA/ E.COLI.

In prokaryotes like E.coli, where there is no defined nucleus, the DNA is not
scattered throughout the cell. The negatively charged DNA is held with positively
charged protein in a region termed as 'nucleoid'. The DNA in the nucleoid occurs as
large loops held by proteins.

PACKAGING OF DNA IN MAMMALIAN CELL OR EUKARYOTIC CELL.

i.In eukaryotic cell, this packaging is much more complex.
ii.There is a set of positively charged ,basic proteins called histones. A protein acquires
charge depending upon the abundance of amino acids residues like lysines and
arginines.
iii.Histones are organized to form a unit of eight molecules called as histone octamer.
iv. The negatively charged DNA is wrapped around the positively charged histone
octamer to form a structure called nucleosome.
v.A typical nucleosome contains 200 bp of DNA helix.Nucleosomes constitute the
repeating unit of a structure in nucleus called chromatin, thread like bodies seen in the
nucleus.
vi.The beads- on – string structure in chromatin is packaged to form chromatin fibres
that are further coiled and condensed at metaphase stage of cell division to form
vii. The packaging of chromatin at higher level requires additional set of proteins that
collectively are referred to as Non-histone Chromosomal (NHC) proteins.
viii. In a typical nucleus,some region of chromatin are loosely packed, lightly stained
and transcriptionally are called as euchromatin.
ix. The chromatin which are densely packed , stains dark and it is transcriptionally
inactive are called heterochromatin.
(DIAGRAM PAGE NO.99, FIG.NO.6.9 ).

F 061, Rev 01, dtd 10th March 2020