National Institute of Technology Karnataka Surathkal

Department of Chemical Engineering

Biology for Chemical Engineers (CH458)

Assignment 1 Last date for submission: 23.01.2023

1. Calculate the amount of DNA present in a single human cell. Express the result in picograms.
Given, there is about 6 ∗ 109 base pairs present in a single human cell, the average molecular
weight of a DNA base pair is 660Da.

2. A cloning vector is of length 3000bp. How many moles of DNA (Pico moles) are present in
1 𝜇𝑔 of vector DNA (pure). How many copies of vector contained in 2𝜇𝑔 of this vector

3. Consider a dephosphorylated oligonucleotide sequence 5′ −

𝐺𝐺𝐴𝐶𝑇𝑇𝐴𝐺𝐶𝐶𝑇𝑇𝐴𝐺𝑇𝐴𝑇𝑇𝐺𝐶𝐶𝐺 − 3′ . Determine the molecular weight of the
oligonucleotide. 𝑀𝑊 = (𝑛𝐴 ∗ 335) + (𝑛𝑐 ∗ 311.2) + (𝑛𝐺 ∗ 351.2) + (𝑛𝑇 ∗ 326.2) + 𝑃 ,
Where 𝑛𝑋 is the number of nucleotides 𝐴, 𝐶, 𝑇, 𝐺 in the oligonucleotide. P is equal to -101.0
for dephosphorylated oligo and is equal to 40 for phosphorylated oligo’s.
𝜇𝑀
4. You are given a 50 𝑚𝑙 solution of 24bp dsDNA. Determine the volume of the solution (in
𝜇𝐿) that contain 10𝜇𝑔 of dsDNA.

5. Write the structures of Adenine, Thymine, Guanine, Cytosine, Uracil, Pyrimidine, Purine,
and adenosine triphosphate (ATP)

6. Write short notes on a) Primary and secondary structure of protein b) Alpha-Helics c) Beta-
sheets

7. What are base tautomer’s? Show the structures of Amino and Imino forms of cytosine, keto
and enol forms of Guanine.

8. What are ddATP, ddGTP? Explain with its structure.

Reference

1. F. H. Stephenson Calculations for Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Third edition,

academic press

2. Nelson D.L and Cox, M.M. Lehninger principles of biochemistry, fourth edition.

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