BIOCHEMIST

RY
20- Structure
of DNA
PRESENTED BY:
DR. MOHAMMED SALEH
MBCHB
Dr. Mohammed
Saleh
MBChB
Baghdad University

Peaks Medical Academy

2
Structure of DNA
Structure & Replication
DNA Double Helix
■ In DNA there are two strands of nucleotides that wind together in a
double helix.
– the strands run in opposite directions.
– the bases are arranged in step-like pairs.
– the base pairs are held together by hydrogen bonding.
■ The pairing of the bases from the two strands is very specific
■ The complimentary base pairs are A-T and G-C
– two hydrogen bonds form between A and T
– three hydrogen bonds form between G and C
■ Each pair consists of a purine and a pyrimidine, so they are the same
width, keeping the two strands at equal distances from each other.
Structural forms of the double helix
■ There are three major structural forms of DNA: the B form,
described by Watson and Crick in 1953, the A form, and the Z
form.
■ The B form is a right-handed helix and the most common form
with ten residues per 360° turn of the helix.
■ Chromosomal DNA is thought to consist primarily of B-DNA .
■ The A form is also a right-handed helix, but there are 11 base
pairs per turn.
■ Z-DNA is a left-handed helix that contains about 12 base pairs
per turn.
Nucleic Acid Structure “Base Pairing”
Replication
■ Before a cell divides, the DNA strands
unwind and separate.
■ Each strand makes a new partner by
adding the appropriate nucleotides.
■ The result is that there are now two
double-stranded DNA molecules in the
nucleus
■ So that when the cell divides, each
nucleus contains identical DNA.
■ This process is called replication.
Replication
■ In eukaryotic cells,
replication begins at
multiple sites along
the DNA double
helix, thus
providing a
mechanism of
rapidly replicating
the great length of
the eukaryotic DNA
molecule.
 Enzyme and protein required:
■ Initial replication by DNA A
protein: It binds to specific
nucleotide sequences at the origin of
replication, rich in A=T base pairs.
■ Unwinding double DNA by DNA
helicases: enzymes bind to ssDNA
near the replication fork, and
unwinding the double helix.
■ Formation of fork and prevention
of reannealing by (SSB) proteins:
they keep the two strands of DNA
separated in the area of the
replication origin.
Enzyme and protein required:
■ Removal of supercoils by DNA topoisomerases:
– Type-I ,These enzymes reversibly cut one strand of the double helix.
They have both nuclease (strand-cutting) and ligase.
– Type-II, These enzymes bind tightly to the DNA double helix and
make breaks in both strands.
Enzyme and protein required:
■ Synthesis RNA primer DNA
polymerases cannot initiate
synthesis of a complementary
strand of DNA. Rather, they
require an RNA primer.
■ Elongation by “DNA
polymerases” act to
synthesize two anti parallel
stretches of nucleotide chains.
■ DNA ligase.
Histones
■ Small proteins are positively charged at
physiologic pH as a result of their high
content of lysine and arginine.
■ There function is to package and arrange
the DNA into structural units called
nucleosomes.
■ There are five classes of histones,
designated H1, H2A, H2B, H3, and H4.
■ Because of their positive charge, they
form ionic bonds with negatively
charged DNA.
■ Histones neutralized the negatively
charged of DNA phosphate groups.
Histones Vs
Nucleosomes
Control of protein biosynthesis
■ Control of protein
biosynthesis is
accomplished through
transferring the
information from DNA
to messenger RNA
(mRNA).
■ Then, mRNA is sent
from the nucleus to the
site of protein
synthesis, then protein
biosynthesis takes place
on the ribosome.
THANK YOU
Dr. Mohammed Saleh