Lesson 17.

DNA Structure
Objectives describe the nucleic acids;
1 and
At the end of
the lesson, you
differentiate between DNA
should be able 2 and RNA.
to:
 Learn about It!

Discovery of Nucleic
Acids
• Friedrich Miescher
• He discovered nucleic acids
upon isolation of “nuclein”
from white blood cells.

• This isolated material is now

known as the DNA.
F
r
i
 Learn about It!

Nucleic
Acids
• Nucleic acids are biomolecules
that play important roles in the
storage and expression of
genetic information.

• They are macromolecules

composed of the monomers
called nucleotides. The genetic information is stored
in the cell nucleus.
 Learn about It!

Nucleotides
• Nucleotides have the
following components
• a phosphate group
• a 5-C sugar
• a nitrogenous base

The structure of a nucleotide.

 Learn about It!

Nucleotides
• Nucleotides have the
following bonds within it.

• Glycosidic bond attaches

the base to the first C of
sugar.
• Ester bond attaches the
phosphate to the first C of
sugar. Ester and glycosidic bonds occur
within a nucleotide
 Learn about It!

Nucleotide Chain
• Phosphodiester linkages
connect the nucleotides.

• A nucleotide is connected
to its adjacent nucleotides
via two ester bonds.
• Phosphate group is bonded
to the 3′ carbon of sugar.
T
h
e
 Learn about It!

Types of Nucleic Acids

• Nucleic acids can either be a
DNA (deoxyribonucleic
acid) or RNA (ribonucleic
acid).

• The differ in terms of their

nitrogenous bases and the
5-C sugar.
T
h
 Learn about It!

N•itrogenous
Bases can either be purines (two-ringed) or pyrimidines (single-ringed).
• DNA and RNA have the same bases except for thymine in DNA and uracil in
Bases
RNA.

The
nitrogenous
bases of
DNA and
RNA.
 Learn about It!

The Chargaff Rule

• Erwin Chargaff established
rules about DNA composition.

• The amount of A
almost equal to T
• The amount of G almost
equal to C
• 1:1 ratio between A & T The Chargaff rule on DNA base
composition.
and
C&G
 Learn about It!

DNA as the Genetic Material

• The DNA stores genetic
information in the form of
nucleotide sequences.

• The base pairings in DNA help

protect and conserve its
genetic information.

D
 Learn about It!

DNA Structure
• The strands of DNA run in
opposite directions making them
antiparallel.

• Coding strand: runs in 5′ to

3′ direction; the strand that
is expressed
• Template strand: runs in 3′
to 5′ direction
The antiparallel strands of DNA.
 Learn about It!

DNA Structure
• The DNA double helix is
a twisted, right-handed,
staircase.

• Sugar-phosphate: the sides

of the ladder
• Base pairs: the rungs of the
ladder
D
N
 Learn about It!

DNA Structure
• The twisting and rigidity of the
DNA form grooves or gaps.

• Minor groove: backbones

are closer; base more hidden
• Major groove: backbones
are farther; bases more
exposed

T
 Learn about It!

Discovery of DNA Structure

• James Watson and Francis
Crick first proposed the double
helical structure of DNA.

• They used different data sets

such as that of Rosalind
Franklin and Erwin Chargaff. James Watson (1928-present) and
Francis Crick (1916-2004)
 Learn about It!

Discovery of DNA Structure

• Rosalind Franklin, alongside
Raymond Gosling, obtained the
Photograph 51 via X-ray
crystallography.

• The symmetric patterns

generated were interpreted as Rosalind Franklin (1920-1958) and
the DNA structure. her Photograph 51
 Let’s Think!

What is the importance of DNA as an

information carrying molecule?
Key Points

Nucleotides, the monomers of nucleic acids, have three

1 components: a five-carbon sugar, a phosphate
group, and a nitrogenous base.

A strand of nucleic acids is formed by linked nucleotides

2 together by phosphodiester bonds.

A DNA strand has a 5’ end where the phosphate group

3 is found and a 3’ end where the sugar molecule is
located.
Key Points

The double helix is right-handed. It twists in the

4 clockwise direction which results in the formation of
major and minor grooves.

The DNA sequence can be represented by its

5 nitrogenous bases.

Ribonucleic acid (RNA) are nucleic acids

6 involved in
protein synthesis. It uses uracil instead of
thymine as
 Bibliography
Alberts, B., et al. 2002. Molecular Biology of the Cell, 4th ed. New York: Garland Science.

Lizabeth A. Allison. 2007. Fundamental Molecular Biology. Massachusetts: Blackwell

Publishing.

Berg, J.M., J.L. Tymoczko, L. Stryer, and N.D. Clarke. 2002. Biochemistry. W. H. Freeman and

Company. Campbell, N. 2001. Biology. San Francisco, CA: Benjamin Cummings.

Kwan, L.P., and Y.K. Lam. 2013. Biology GCE”O” Level. Singapore: Marshall Cavendish Education.
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