Lecture: DNA(DeoxyriboNucleic Acid)

4th

Kazhaleh Mohammadi

2022-2023
Learning outcomes
By the end of this lecture you will be able to:

•Identify the Structure of DNA

•Discuss the Replication of DNA
Background
Information
What is DNA?
DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is the hereditary
material in humans and almost all other organisms.
Nearly every cell in a person’s body has the same
DNA. Most DNA is located in the cell nucleus (where
it is called nuclear DNA), but a small amount of DNA
can also be found in the mitochondria (where it is
called mitochondrial DNA or mtDNA). Mitochondria
are structures within cells that convert the energy
from food into a form that cells can use.
Structure of
DNA
The information in DNA is stored as a code made up of
four chemical bases: adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine
(C), and thymine (T). Human DNA consists of about 3
billion bases, and more than 99 percent of those bases
are the same in all people. The order, or sequence, of
these bases determines the information available for
building and maintaining an organism, similar to the way
in which letters of the alphabet appear in a certain order
to form words and sentences.
DNA is a double helix formed by base pairs attached to a sugar-phosphate backbone.
Structure of
DNA
DNA bases pair up with each other, A with T and C with
G, to form units called base pairs. Each base is also
attached to a sugar molecule and a phosphate molecule.
Together, a base, sugar, and phosphate are called a
nucleotide. Nucleotides are arranged in two long strands
that form a spiral called a double helix. The structure of
the double helix is somewhat like a ladder, with the base
pairs forming the ladder’s rungs and the sugar and
phosphate molecules forming the vertical sidepieces of
the ladder.
Replication of
DNA
An important property of DNA is that it can replicate,
or make copies of itself. Each strand of DNA in the
double helix can serve as a pattern for duplicating the
sequence of bases. This is critical when cells divide
because each new cell needs to have an exact copy of
the DNA present in the old cell.
Replication of
DNA
DNA replication is the process by which a double-stranded DNA
molecule is copied to produce two identical DNA molecules.
Replication is an essential process because, whenever a cell
divides, the two new daughter cells must contain the same genetic
information, or DNA, as the parent cell.
The replication process relies on the fact that each strand of DNA
can serve as a template for duplication. DNA replication initiates at
specific points, called origins, where the DNA double helix is
unwound. A short segment of RNA, called a primer, is then
synthesized and acts as a starting point for new DNA synthesis. An
enzyme called DNA polymerase next begins replicating the DNA by
matching bases to the original strand. Once synthesis is complete,
the RNA primers are replaced with DNA, and any gaps between
newly synthesized DNA segments are sealed together with
enzymes.
Replication of DNA &
Proofreading
Replication of DNA &
Proofreading
DNA replication is a crucial process; therefore, to
ensure that mistakes, or mutations, are not introduced,
the cell proofreads the newly synthesized DNA. Once
the DNA in a cell is replicated, the cell can divide into
two cells, each of which has an identical copy of the
original DNA.
Extract your own DNA
Have you ever wanted to see what makes you,
you?
You can extract your DNA using ingredients in
your kitchen!
What you need
1. 500ml bottled water
2. 3 x clear plastic cups or glasses
3. Clear washing up liquid
4. 1 tbsp table salt
5. 100 ml isopropyl alcohol
6. Blue food coloring
7. You!
Protocol
1. Mix the bottled water with the salt in a cup. Stir until salt is
dissolved.
2. Transfer 3 tbsp of the salt water into a separate cup.
3. Gargle the salt water for 1 minute. Don't swallow it!
4. Spit the water back into the cup.
5. Add one drop of washing up liquid to the salt water. Stir gently. Try
not to create any bubbles.
6. In a separate cup, mix the isopropyl alcohol and 3 drops food
colouring.
7. Gently pour the alcohol and food colouring mixture into the salt
water cup. Tilt the salt water cup as you pour, so the alcohol mixture
forms a layer on top of the salt water.
8. Wait for 2.5 minutes. You should see white clumps and strings
forming.
The white clumps and strings are your DNA!
 What's
happening?
• When you gargle the salt water and spit it back out, some of
your cheek cells become suspended in the salt water. The
more vigorously you gargle, the more cheek cells will collect
in the salt water.
• The washing up liquid breaks down your cheek cell
membranes. This causes the DNA to be released into the
salt water.
What's
happening?
• DNA is not soluble in alcohol, so it forms a solid where the
alcohol and salt water layers meet. Most other substances
from your cheek cells stay dissolved in the salt water layer.
The white strings and clumps you see are thousands of DNA
molecules clumped together. Single DNA molecules are far
too small to see with the naked eye.
• When you gargle the salt water, you are also collecting some
bacterial cells from the inside of your mouth, so the DNA
you see is a mixture of your DNA and bacterial DNA!