DNA AND RNA

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 Genetics
• Transmission of biological traits from
parent to offspring
• Expression and variation of those traits
• Structure and function of genetic
material

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 Levels Of Structure and Function Of
The Genome
• Genome – sum total of genetic material of an
organism
– Genome of cells – DNA
– Genome of viruses – DNA or RNA
• Chromosome – length of DNA containing genes
• Gene-fundamental unit of heredity responsible
for a given trait

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 Why have a nucleus?

Protection from shearing

DNA Replication
Transcription
RNA Processing
RNA Transport
Protein Transport
The entire nucleus dissolves and
then reforms every time the cell
divides.
Occurs during mitosis (M-phase).
Necessary to separate the
chromosomes to daughter cells; a
process requiring microtubules.
Nucleotide contains a nitrogenous base, a pentose
sugar and one or more phosphates.

Nucleotide Structure
 purines

pyrimidines

The Nitrogenous Bases

DNA is the repository of genetic information.
Two antiparallel polynucleotide strands.
A hydrogen bond is a force of attraction between a polarized hydrogen of one
molecular group and the electronegative oxygen or nitrogen atoms of nearby
aligned molecular groups.
 DNA structure
• 2 strands twisted into a helix
• Sugar -phosphate backbone
• Nitrogenous bases form steps in ladder
– Constancy of base pairing
– A binds to T with 2 hydrogen bonds
– G binds to C with 3 hydrogen bonds
• Antiparallel strands 3’to 5’ and 5’to 3’
• Each strand provides a template for the exact
copying of a new strand
• Order of bases constitutes the DNA code

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 Microbial Genetics
• Genes

• Mutations

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RNA
Deoxyribose vs Ribose
 DNA vs RNA
• Sugar: Deoxyribose vs ribose
• Bonds with Adenine: thymine vs uracil
• # of Strands: two vs one
• Kinds of RNA:
Messenger RNA (mRNA) - Messenger RNA
contains genetic information. It is a copy of a portion of
the DNA. It carries genetic information from the gene
(DNA) out of the nucleus, into the cytoplasm of the cell
where it is translated to produce protein.
Transcription
 Transcription
• Steps involved in transcription
• RNA polymerase recognizes a specific base sequence
in the DNA called a promoter and binds to it. The
promoter identifies the start of a gene, which strand is
to be copied, and the direction that it is to be copied.
• RNA polymerase unwinds the DNA.
• RNA polymerase assembles bases that are
complimentary to the DNA strand being copied. RNA
contains uracil instead of thymine.
• A termination code in the DNA indicates where
transcription will stop.
• The mRNA produced is called a mRNA transcript.
 RNA Synthesis
• RNA Polymerase

• 3 RNA types
– rRNA

– mRNA

– tRNA

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• Processing the mRNA Transcript
• In eukaryotic cells, the newly-formed mRNA transcript
(also called heterogenous nuclear RNA or hnRNA) must
be further modified before it can be used.
• A cap is added to the 5’ end and a poly-A tail (150 to
200 Adenines) is added to the 3’end of the molecule.
• Eukaryotic genes contain regions that are not
translated into proteins. These regions of DNA are
called introns and must be removed from mRNA. Their
function is not well understood.
• The remaining portions of DNA that are translated into
protein are called exons. After intron-derived regions
are removed from mRNA, the remaining fragments-
derived from exons- are spliced together to form a
mature mRNA transcript.
 Types of RNA
• Ribosomal RNA (rRNA)
• This type of RNA is a structural component of the ribosomes.
It does not contain a genetic message.
• Transfer RNA (tRNA)
• Transfer RNA functions to transport amino acids to the
ribosomes during protein synthesis.
• Transcription
• Transcription is the synthesis of mRNA from a DNA template.
• It is like DNA replication in that a DNA strand is used to
synthesize a strand of mRNA.
• Only one strand of DNA is copied.
• A single gene may be transcribed thousands of times.
• After transcription, the DNA strands rejoin.
Nucleolus
Subcompartment
of nucleus
Assembly of ribo-
somal subunits
 Genetic Information Storage
• DNA/Base sequences

• Genetic information transfer

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 Genetic Information

• What are the products that genes encode?

– RNAs and proteins
• How are genes expressed?
– Transcription and translation

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 Gene Expression
• Transcription – DNA is used to synthesize RNA
– RNA polymerase is the enzyme responsible
• Translation –making a protein using the
information provided by messenger RNA
– occurs on ribosomes

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 Genetic Code
• mRNA codons

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Protein Synthesis

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Protein Synthesis

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Blueprint and the Actual Building

• Genotype - genes encoding all the potential

characteristics of an individual
• Phenotype -actual expressed genes of an
individual (its collection of proteins)

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 DNA
Transcription
RNA polymerase

RNA
Translation
ribosomes

PROTEINS
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