10th August, 2023

Science of Living System

BS10003 (2-0-0)

Dibyendu Samanta
School of Bioscience
Email: dibyendu.samanta@iitkgp.ac.in
Tel: 03222-284576
 Why Living System?
Characteristics of a Living System !!
• High degree of complexity.

• Mechanisms for sensing and responding to

alterations in surroundings.

• Capacity for precise self-replication and self-

assembly.

• Systems for extracting, transforming and using

energy from the environment.

• Ability to evolve.
 Why Living System?
Invention of Velcro®: inspired by Cockleburs

Burdock

George de Mestral invented Velcro®: Unique,

two-sided fastener, one side with stiff hooks like
the burs and the other side with soft loops like
the fabric. a combination of the words velour
and crochet.
 Why Living System?

Shinkansen Bullet Train in Japan:

inspired by shape of Kingfisher head
 Why Living System?

Tardigrades

Nature can’t make the dead come

back to life, but it can re-animate
the seemingly dead
Current Data
Usage !!
Digital DNA: Future storage device
for world’s data !!
 Digital DNA: Future storage device
for world’s data !!

Microsoft Corporation – DNA Storage Research

A DNA-Based Archival Storage System Bornholt J, et. al. ASPLOS 2016
(International Conference on Architectural Support for Programming Languages and
Operating Systems)
 Components of Living Systems
C-H-O-N-S-P

• All life forms on Earth are composed of building blocks

that are made of combinations of Carbon and other
elements:
• Hydrogen
• Oxygen
• Nitrogen
• Sulphur
• Phosphorus
Molecules of Living Systems:
Biological Macromolecules
 BS10003 Topics (upto Midsem)
Lectu
Date Topic
re
Nucleic acids: How is genetic information stored &
1 10/08/2023
maintained
Nucleic acids: How is genetic information stored &
2 17/08/2023
maintained
Transcription & Translation: How stored
3 24/08/2023
information get processed
Transcription & Translation: How stored
4 31/08/2023
information get processed
5 07/09/2023 Institute Holiday
6 14/09/2023 Proteins: Structure-function and folding
Nucleic acids: How is genetic
information stored and maintained
Experiment that Proves DNA is Our Genetic Material
Experiment that Proves DNA is Our Genetic Material
 Nucleic Acid

RNA: Ribonucleic Acid

DNA: Deoxyribonucleic Acid

Flow of Genetic Information: The Central
Dogma of Molecular Biology

DNA RNA Protein

Transcription Translation

Replication

DNA RNA Protein

Polymer of Polymer of Polymer of
nucleotides nucleotides amino acids
 Nucleic Acid
• Nucleic acids are polymers

• Monomer: Nucleotides

Nitrogenous bases
• Purines
• Pyrimidines

Sugar Nucleosides
• Ribose
• Deoxyribose Nucleotides

Phosphates
 RNA vs DNA
RNA - Ribonucleic Acid (OH)
DNA - Deoxyribonucleic Acid (H)

N-β-glycosyl bond

(Ribose)

Ester Bond
Two Types of Nitrogenous Bases
Purine and Pyrimidine Bases
Nucleotide = Nucleoside + Phosphate
(Nucleoside = Sugar + Base)
Nucleotide = Nucleoside + Phosphate
(Nucleoside = Sugar + Base)
Phosphodiester Linkages in the Covalent Backbone
of Nucleic Acid

3′ end 3′ end
RNA is Less Stable than DNA
 Discovering the Structure of DNA
• Structure was discovered in 1953 by James
Watson and Francis Crick
• Awarded Nobel Prize in 1962

X-ray Diffraction
Pattern of DNA

The Double Helix: A Personal Account of the Discovery of the

Structure of DNA - By James D Watson
 Some key features of DNA
• In DNA, two nucleic acid strands anneal together
through extensive inter-strand H-bonding between the
bases. This base pairing follows the rule proposed by
Watson and Crick.
• Chargaff’s rule: A always pairs with T and G pairs
with C
• Hence the two strands become complementary to each
other
DNA: Deoxyribonucleic Acid
DNA: Deoxyribonucleic Acid
Watson-Crick Model for the
Structure of DNA
 Reversible Denaturation and
Annealing (Renaturation) of DNA

Decreasing Temp
Increasing Temp
Heat Denaturation of DNA
http://bcs.whfreeman.com/lehninger5e/