Grade 12 Life Sciences

DNA code of life

Revision of a cell

In grades 10 and 11 you learned about the

cell ( animal cell and plant cell). For this
chapter, you need to take your knowledge
of cells with you as it will help make
things easier to understand.

The figure next to this text shows the

structure of a cell.

You need to know the location of the

ribosome, cytoplasm, and other parts of
the nucleus.
A simple and close-up look at the structure of
the nucleus.

 The nucleus has a wall surrounding it

called the nuclear
envelope/membrane.
 The nuclear envelopes have little pores
called nuclear pores.
 Inside the nucleus we have beads on a
string-like feature called chromatins.
 The chromatids are supported by the
nucleoplasm( which has the same
function as the cytoplasm).
 On the left side we have a ball called
the nucleolus.
Ribosome and cytoplasm
TYPES OF NUCLEIC ACIDS- molecules
that are essential for all forms of life.

DNA( DeoxyriboNucleic Acid) RNA(RiboNucleic Acid)

NUCLEOTIDES
 These two nucleic acids are made of building blocks (or monomers) called
nucleotides.
 Each nucleotide consists of three components that make it up
 A prophase group (P ) – it is a group of phosphate surrounded by oxygen and
forms what we call the backbone of the DNA.

 A sugar(S )- a deoxygenated sugar for DNA ( deoxyribose sugar)

 A nitrogenous base(N ) – the foundation of our genetic code which will code for
a protein that is needed to grow an organism and to maintain it.

The nitrogenous base has five components

 Adenine

 Thymine

 guanine

 Cytosine

 Uracil

Nitrogenous bases are complementary to one another, meaning that they

can only pair with their complementary base.
LOCATION OF
DNA
 DNA occurs in the nucleus. It is called a
nucleic DNA. It is found in the chromatin
network, where it spends a majority of its
time there.
 It is wound around protein molecules called
histones to form chromosomes.
 Small amounts of DNA are found outside
the nucleus, known as extra-nuclear DNA.
 We have a DNA that occurs in the
mitochondria called the mitochondrial DNA(
mtDNA).
 We also have a DNA that occurs in the
chloroplast which is called the chloroplast
DNA(cpDNA).
The structure of a chromosome

A chromosome is a condensed form of chromatin

We have inherited a total of 46 chromosomes, of which 23 are from our mother and 23 from our father.
They are long thin thread-like structures made up of a strand of DNA that is wrapped around protein.
Generally, chromosomes are single-stranded, however, when we want to make another cell they need to
double themselves to be successful.
It has two identical arms(chromatids).
They need to be identical because to pass on the important DNA information they need to be the same.
Attaching in the center is the centromere.
The structure of DNA

 The chromatin network condenses and forms a chromosome.

 Those chromosomes are then stretched into a long thin structure called DNA.
 The DNA is a double-stranded molecule that forms a double helix (when the chromosome is stretched).
 It contains deoxyribose sugar.
 It contains four different nitrogenous bases, namely, adenine(A), thymine(T), guanine(G), and
cytosine(C).
 The bases form base pairs in the DNA molecule.
 Adenine pairs with Thymine, and cytosine pairs with guanine, ALWAYS.
 The bases are joined by a weak hydrogen bond to make each pair.
DNA function

 It contains genetic instructions(codes) to

make different proteins in the body.
 Maintains the structure of the
chromosomes and regulates the functions
of genes
 Regulates protein synthesis
 Section of DNA dorm genes that carry
hereditary material from parents to
offspring
Recap
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