GENETIC

MATERIAL
What is genetic
material ?
What is genetic material?
The genetic material of a cell or an organism refers to those found in the nucleus,
mitochondria and cytoplasm, which play a fundamental role in determining the structure
and nature of cell substances, and capable of self propagating and variation.
Table of contents
01 02 03
Chromosome Gen and Alel RNA

04 05 06
DNA Diffrence Genetic problems
Between RNA and DNA
01
Chromosome
About Chromosome
Chromosomes are threadlike structures
made of protein and a single molecule of
DNA that serves to carry genomic
information from cell to cell. In plants and
animals (including humans),
chromosomes reside in the nucleus of
cells.
Humans have 22 pairs of numbered
chromosomes (XX or XY), for a total of
46. Each pair contains two chromosomes,
one coming from each parent, which
means that children inherit half of their
chromosomes from their mother and half
from their father.
What do chromosomes do?
The unique structure of chromosomes keeps DNA tightly wrapped around spool-like proteins, called histones. Without
such packaging, DNA molecules would be too long to fit inside cells. For example, if all of the DNA molecules in a
single human cell were unwound from their histones and placed end-to-end, they would stretch 6 feet.
For an organism to grow and function properly, cells must constantly divide to produce new cells to replace old, worn-
out cells. During cell division, it is essential that DNA remains intact and evenly distributed among cells. Chromosomes
are a key part of the process that ensures DNA is accurately copied and distributed in the vast majority of cell divisions.
Still, mistakes do occur on rare occasions.
Changes in the number or structure of chromosomes in new cells may lead to serious problems. For example, in humans,
one type of leukemia and some other cancers are caused by defective chromosomes made up of joined pieces of broken
chromosomes.
It is also crucial that reproductive cells, such as eggs and sperm, contain the right number of chromosomes and that those
chromosomes have the correct structure. If not, the resulting offspring may fail to develop properly. For example, people
with Down syndrome have three copies of chromosome 21, instead of the two copies found in other people.
02
Gen and Alel
What is Gen?
Genes are units of inheritance of traits in a
living creature. Genes consist of DNA
enveloped and bound by protein. Genes
can be found in loci on chromosomes
The arrangement of genes in the body is
called the genotype, while the expression
of the genotype that appears in living
creatures is called the phenotype.
This phenotype is an expression of a genotype
that has dominant traits, namely genes that can
defeat the recessive genotype.
In the case of families with different hair,
straight hair is the dominant genotype, while
curly hair is the recessive genotype. In writing,
dominant genotypes can be written in uppercase
letters and recessive genotypes can be written in
lowercase letters.
What is the function of genetics ?
● Apart from inheritance of traits, there are also other functions of genes and alleles. Genes can
control cell growth and development. This is done by controlling cell activity (cell division, cell
differentiation, and cell death) and also tissue regeneration in the organism.
● Genes can also help protein synthesis because genes store genetic information to make proteins.
This protein will be the basic material for forming cells and tissues in organisms.
● Genes can regulate metabolism in the body and also regulate the body's response to external
stimuli through physiological, morphological and behavioral changes in the organism.
What is Allel?
Genes and alleles are related. We can find
genes in a locus on a chromosome. Well,
these chromosomes are usually found in
pairs which can be called homologous
chromosomes.
These homologous chromosomes are
chromosomes that are paired and have
similarities in terms of shape, size and
number of types of genes contained in
them.
As paired chromosomes, homologous
chromosomes also have paired genes.
We can also call pairs of genes on homologous
chromosomes alleles. Alleles show differences
in the inheritance of traits in one offspring
because of the three traits they have.
Homozygous dominant is an allele that has a
dominant gene pair. Homozygous recessive is
an allele that has a recessive gene pair.
Meanwhile, heterozygous alleles have one
dominant gene and one recessive gene in them
Video talking about the difference
between Gen and Allel
03
RNA
 What is RNA ?
is a molecule that is present in the
majority of living organisms and viruses.
It is made up of nucleotides, which are
ribose sugars attached to nitrogenous
bases and phosphate groups. The
nitrogenous bases include adenine,
guanine, uracil, and cytosine. RNA mostly
exists in the single-stranded form, but
there are special RNA viruses that are
double-stranded.
The RNA molecule can have a variety of
lengths and structures. An RNA virus uses RNA
instead of DNA as its genetic material and can
cause many human diseases. Transcription is
the process of RNA formation from DNA, and
translation is the process of protein synthesis
from RNA. The means of RNA synthesis and
the way that it functions differs between
eukaryotes and prokaryotes. Specific RNA
molecules also regulate gene expression and
have the potential to serve as therapeutic agents
in human diseases.
04
DNA
What is DNA?
DNA is the heredity 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 be found (where it is called
mitochondrial DNA). Mitochondria are
structures within the cells that convert the
energy into a form that cells can use.
The information in DNA is stored as a code made up
chemical bases: adenine(A), guanine(G), cytosine©,
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 certain order to form words and sentences.
DNA Structure
● The DNA structure can be thought of as a twisted ladder. This structure is described as a double-
helix, as illustrated in the figure above. It is a nucleic acid, and all nucleic acids are made up of
nucleotides. The DNA molecule is composed of units called nucleotides, and each nucleotide is
composed of three different components such as sugar, phosphate groups and nitrogen bases.
● The basic building blocks of DNA are nucleotides, which are composed of a sugar group, a
phosphate group, and a nitrogen base. The sugar and phosphate groups link the nucleotides
together to form each strand of DNA. Adenine (A), Thymine (T), Guanine (G) and Cytosine (C)
are four types of nitrogen bases.
● These 4 Nitrogenous bases pair together in the following way: A with T, and C with G. These
base pairs are essential for the DNA’s double helix structure, which resembles a twisted ladder.
DNA Structure
● The order of the nitrogenous bases determines the genetic code or the DNA’s instructions.

● Among the three components of DNA structure, sugar is the one which forms the backbone of the
DNA molecule. It is also called deoxyribose. The nitrogenous bases of the opposite strands form
hydrogen bonds, forming a ladder-like structure.
DNA Structure
● The two strands of DNA run in opposite directions. These strands are held together by the
hydrogen bond that is present between the two complementary bases. The strands are helically
twisted, where each strand forms a right-handed coil, and ten nucleotides make up a single turn.
● The pitch of each helix is 3.4 nm. Hence, the distance between two consecutive base pairs (i.e.,
hydrogen-bonded bases of the opposite strands) is 0.34 nm.
05
DNA and RNA
Comparison
COMPARISON DNA
Full Name Deoxyribonucleic Acid
Function DNA replicates and stores
genetic information. It is a
blueprint for all genetic
information contained
within an organism.
Structure DNA consists of two
strands, arranged in a
double helix. These
strands are made up of
subunits called
nucleotides. Each
nucleotide contains a
phosphate, a 5-carbon
sugar molecule and a
nitrogenous base.
RNA
Ribonucleic Acid
RNA converts the genetic
information contained
within DNA to a format
used to build proteins, and
then moves it to ribosomal
protein factories.
RNA only has one strand,
but like DNA, is made up
of nucleotides. RNA
strands are shorter than
DNA strands. RNA
sometimes forms a
secondary double helix
structure, but only
intermittently.
COMPARISON DNA RNA
Location RNA forms in the
DNA is found in the nucleolus, and then
nucleus, with a small moves to specialised
amount of DNA also regions of the cytoplasm
present in depending on the type
mitochondria of RNA formed.

Sugar The sugar in DNA is RNA contains ribose

deoxyribose, which sugar molecules,
contains one less without the hydroxyl
hydroxyl group than modifications of
RNA’s ribose. deoxyribose.

Ultraviolet (UV) DNA is vulnerable to RNA is more resistant

Sensitivity damage by ultraviolet to damage from UV
light. light than DNA.
COMPARISON DNA RNA
Structure DNA consists of two
RNA only has one
strands, arranged in a
strand, but like DNA, is
double helix. These
made up of nucleotides.
strands are made up of
RNA strands are shorter
subunits called
than DNA strands. RNA
nucleotides. Each
sometimes forms a
nucleotide contains a
secondary double helix
phosphate, a 5-carbon
structure, but only
sugar molecule and a
intermittently.
nitrogenous base.

Sugar The sugar in DNA is RNA contains ribose

deoxyribose, which sugar molecules,
contains one less without the hydroxyl
hydroxyl group than modifications of
RNA’s ribose. deoxyribose.
06
Genetic disorders
Table of contents
01Albinism 02 Angelman Syndrom 03 Down Syndrome