OBJECTIVES:

• Describe the molecular structure

of DNA.
• Explain the central dogma of
molecular genetics.
• Describe the similarities and
differences in the chemical
composition of DNA and RNA.
 Molecular Genetics
• Molecular genetics and molecular
biology are almost synonymous terms
• A “ hybrid” science
• The change in the understanding of life
has led to a revolution in the field of
Biology.
 Molecular Genetics - Origins
• Thomas Hunt Morgan- Columbia University
• The physical nature of the gene
• A discovery in 1910 changed the course of
genetics
• Developed experimental model for the study of
modern genetics- the fruit fly – Drosophila
melanogaster
• The white eyed male mutant appeared in a
culture of flies in the fly room and this was the
beginning of a search for mutants
White and
Wild type
• Easy to cultivate
• Prolific progeny
• Small and inexpensive
• Large polytene
chromosomes
• Diploid number 8
• Many mutations
Hermann Joseph Muller
• X rays cause
mutations
• Produced a variety
of flies with
phenotypes such
vestigial
 Alfred Sturdevant produced the first
genetic map from linkage experiments
• Genes were related to
position on the
chromosome map
• Mutants were related
to differences in the
appearance of the
polytene chromosomes
due to staining
 DNA as Genetic Material
Transformation
• Griffith in 1928 observed the change
of non-virulent organisms into virulent
ones as a result of “transformation”
– MacLeod and McCarty in 1944 showed that
the transforming principle was DNA
Figure 11.1
 QUICK QUIZ:
What can you remember about DNA?

• What shape is DNA?

• What are the 4 bases?
• What do we call the way in
which the bases pair up?
• What do the other bases code
for?
 QUICK QUIZ:
What can you remember about DNA?
• What is the entire base sequence
that codes for one protein called?
• What is an allele?
• How many chromosomes are
there in a normal human cell?
• What does haploid mean?
Chromosomes • Chromosomes are made
of DNA.
Gene for cystic fibrosis
(chromosome 7)
• Each contains genes in a
linear order.
• Human body cells contain
46 chromosomes in 23
pairs – one of each pair
inherited from each
parent
• Chromosome pairs 1 – 22
are called autosomes.
• The 23rd pair are called
Gene for sickle cell sex chromosomes:
disease (chromosome 11) XX is female, XY is male.
 DNA, genes &
chromosomes
The objectives of this presentation are to:
• Understand the role and structure of
DNA, genes and chromosomes.
• Understand that proteins are encoded
by genes
• Be aware that alterations in genetic
material can cause disease
 DNA
• A molecule carrying a genetic material.
• A small segment of DNA makes a gene.
• Consists of two parallel strands twisted
together to form a double helix.
• A DNA molecule is wrapped around
proteins to form a chromatin thread.
• During cell division, chromatin threads coil
tightly into structures called chromosomes
inside the cell nucleus.
DNA: The Genetic Material
• Chromosomes are composed of
chromatids, which have segments
called alleles and are made up of
chromatin.
• This chromatin is composed of
strands of DNA.
• Alleles and genes are sequence of
DNA which code for a certain trait.
 Genetic Material Must be Capable
of:
• Replication (make its copy)
• Storage of information for expression of trait
• Control expression of traits
• Change in controlled way (undergo
mutation)
• Encode the phenotype
• Must be stable
 What does a gene do?
• The must be able to hold
information and decode it (translate
it) into an organism as it grows and
develops
• It must be able to copy itself so that
it can be passed on to future
generations
 What does a gene look like?
• It must be a big molecule
to hold the large amount of information
required to build an organism.
• It must be a complex molecule
to provide the necessary variation to code
the instructions that control growth and
development
 Four classes of molecules
which could form genes
Biological Elements Building Blocks
macromolecules

Polysaccharides CHO Monosaccharides

(carbohydrates)
Lipids CHO Fatty acids (and
(Fats, oils and waxes) glycerol)
Polypeptides CHONS Amino acids
(proteins)
Polynucleotides CHONP Nucleotides
(Nucleic acids)
© 2007 Paul Billiet ODWS
• First scientists who described
the DNA molecule as “double
helix”
• Represented the DNA
molecule as a ladder model,
consisting of two
polynucleotides twisted
around each other in a double
spiral.
The DNA Double Helix
 CHEMICAL
COMPOSITION
OF DNA
 Composition:
• Upright rails of the ladder: alternating
deoxyribose and phosphate molecules
• Rungs of the ladder: nitrogenous bases
that pair up in a fixed manner
• Only specific type of purine can pair up
with a particular pyrimidine
NITROGENOUS
BASES OF DNA
AND RNA
• How is DNA
chemically designed
to perform its role as
the genetic material?
 DNA Replication
• Takes place during
synthesis phase of
interphase
• Provides the mechanism
for chromosome
duplication
 DNA Replication
• Single stranded chromosomes can be
duplicated to produce double-
stranded chromosomes
• Sister chromatids separate to form
single-stranded chromosomes and
are equally distributed to daughter
cells during division.
NUCLEIC ACIDS:

• DNA
• RNA
3 Major Players of
Central Dogma: 3 Processes Involved:

• DNA • Replication
• RNA • Transcription
• protein • Protein
synthesis
 RNA
• Ribonucleic acid Types of RNA
• Another type of
polynucleotide • mRNA
• Each nucleotide consists of:
- (C5) a pentose sugar
• tRNA
(ribose)
- A phosphate group
• rRNA
- A nitrogenous base
(G,A,C,U)
REPLICATION
REPLICATION
 REPLICATION
• DNA making a copy of itself
• Complimentary bases: each
strand of DNA can be used
to make the other strand.
• Each new DNA double helix
is ½ original and ½ new.
3 STEPS OF REPLICATION
1.Unwinding and Strand
Separation
2.Adding Complimentary
Bases
3.Formation of two Identical
DNA molecules
 DNA transcription
•  is a process that involves transcribing
genetic information from DNA to RNA.
• The transcribed DNA message, or
RNA transcript, is used to produce
proteins.
• DNA is housed within the nucleus of our
cells. It controls cellular activity by coding
for the production of proteins.
 Translation: RNA to Protein
• Involves using the mRNA as
template to determine the
sequence of tRNA, which
determines the amino acids which
will be linked together in a chain to
produce a polypeptide or protein
molecule.
 What happens after STOP
codon?
• In the genetic code, a stop
codon (or termination codon) is a
nucleotide triplet within messenger
RNA that signals a termination of
translation.
• Proteins are based on polypeptides,
which are unique sequences of
amino acids.