Central Dogma of Molecular Biology

Central Dogma of Molecular Biology

“The central dogma of molecular biology deals
with the detailed residue-by-residue transfer of
sequential information. It states that such
information cannot be transferred back from
protein to either protein or nucleic acid.”
The Central Dogma of Molecular Biology

The Central Dogma involves three major players:

 DNA
 RNA
 Proteins

And three processes

1. DNA replication
2. Tanscription
3. Translation

It forms the basis of storage, transmission, and

expression of hereditary information.
Central Dogma of Molecular Biology
Cell
Transcription DNA
Translation
mRNA
Ribosome

Polypeptide
(protein)
 DNA and its building blocks

Figure 1-2d,e Molecular Biology of the Cell, Fifth Edition (© Garland Science 2008)
 The copying of genetic
information by DNA replication

Figure 1-3 Molecular Biology of the Cell, Fifth Edition (© Garland Science 2008)
 Transcription

Figure 1-5 Molecular Biology of the Cell, Fifth Edition (© Garland Science 2008)
 Transfer RNA

Figure 1-9a Molecular Biology of the Cell, Fifth Edition (© Garland Science 2008)
 Transfer RNA

Figure 1-9b Molecular Biology of the Cell, Fifth Edition (© Garland Science 2008)
 A ribosome at work

Figure 1-10a Molecular Biology of the Cell, Fifth Edition (© Garland Science 2008)
 The Reverse Transcriptase Ripple
In 1970, two laboratories demonstrated
biochemically that RNA could be used as a
template for DNA.

Howard Temin had argued that the RNA of some

viruses must be copied into DNA in certain cell
types in order to explain the ‘transformation’ of
normal cells to cancer cells by these viruses.
 DNA
Replication

Transcription

Translation
Protein
Synthesis
The arrows show all the possible simple transfers
between the three families of polymers. They
represent the directional flow of detailed sequence
information.
The arrows show the situation as it seemed in 1958.
Solid arrows represent probable transfers, dotted arrows
possible transfers.
The absent arrows (compare Fig. 1 & 2)
represent the impossible transfers postulated
by the central dogma. They are the three
possible arrows starting from protein.
I suggest that the nine possible transfers be
regrouped tentatively into three classes.

I propose that these be called

1. general transfers
2. special transfers
3. unknown transfers
A general transfer is one which can occur in all cells.
The obvious cases are

1. DNA --> DNA

2. DNA --> RNA

3. RNA --> Protein

A special transfer is one which does not occur in
most cells, but may occur in special circumstances.
Possible candidates are

1. RNA --> RNA

2. RNA --> DNA

3. DNA --> Protein

At the present time, the first two of these have

only been shown in certain virus-infected cells.
These are the three transfers which the
central dogma postulates never occur:

1. Protein --> Protein

2. Protein --> DNA

3. Protein --> RNA

Central dogma: Alternative thinking