Science of

Living System
BS20001

Nihar Ranjan Jana

School of Bioscience
Email: nihar@iitkgp.ac.in
Tel: 03222-260802
Lecture Date Topic

1 17/07/2019 Introduction/Nucleic acids

2 24/07/2019 Nucleic acids

3 31/07/2019 Transcription/Translation

4 07/08/2019 Transcription/Translation

5 14/08/2019 Protein structure

6 21/08/2019 Protein structure

7 28/08/2019 Enzymes

8 04/09/2019 CLASS TEST

9 11/09/2019 Ultrastructure of cells and viruses

10 25/09/2019 Cell division and cell cycle

11 16/10/2019 Brain Structure and function

12 23/10/2019 Host defense and vaccines

13 30/10/2019 Genetic Engineering

14 06/11/2019 CLASS TEST
15 13/11/2019 Discussion and Revision
Why study Living System?

“I was impressed by astonishing

functions that live organisms are
capable to develop…Since then,
learning from nature was a
common thing for me.” – Eiji
Nakatsu
Microsoft Corporation – DNA Storage Research
Brain vs Computer

NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins and USA

President Barack Obama announcing the
BRAIN Initiative 2013
 What are the characteristics of a
Living System?
• High degree of complexity

• Mechanisms for sensing and responding to alterations in

surroundings
• Systems for extracting, transforming and using energy from the
environment
• Ability to adapt and evolve

• Ability to develop and grow

• Capacity for precise self-replication and self-assembly, known as

reproduction
Molecules of Living Systems:
Biological Macromolecules
Nucleic Acid
 Nucleic Acid

RNA: Ribonucleic Acid

DNA: Deoxyribonucleic Acid

Experiment that Proves DNA is Our Genetic Material

Frederick Griffith’s experiment with bacteria (Streptococcus pneumoniae) (1928).

Experiment that Proves DNA is Our Genetic Material
Avery, MacLeod and McCarty’s experiment in 1944
 Flow of Genetic Information:
The Central Dogma of Molecular Biology

ase ase
e r e r
ly m l ym e
Po P o
s om
NA N A
R ibo
D DNA R 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 – Sugar
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
RNA is Less Stable than DNA
DNA: Deoxyribonucleic Acid
DNA: Deoxyribonucleic Acid

© 2013 Nature Education All rights reserved.

 Discovery of the DNA Structure
• Structure was discovered in 1953 by James
Watson and Francis Crick
• Awarded Nobel Prize in 1962

Rosalind Franklin
 Watson-Crick Model for the
Structure of DNA
a b c
 Reversible Denaturation and
Annealing (Renaturation) of DNA
Heat Denaturation of DNA