Introducing DNA
Outline DNA nucleotide structure in
terms of sugar, base, and phosphate
Outline how DNA nucleotides are
linked by covalent bonds
into a polymer
Explain how a DNA double helix is formed using
complementary base pairing and hydrogen bonds
Draw and label a simple diagram of the
molecular structure of DNA
Simple diagram of DNA labeled
• Explain DNA replication in
terms of unwinding the
double helix and separation
of the strands by helicase,
followed by formation of the
new complementary strands
by DNA polymerase
DNA Replication
• Explain the significance of
complementary base pairing in
the conservation of the base
sequence of DNA
• State that DNA replication is
semi-conservative
Replication Animation
• http://www.fed.cuhk.edu.hk/~johnson/teac
hing/genetics/animations/dna_replication.h
tm
Polypeptides and Genes
• Polypeptides are long chains of amino acids
• So then, what are proteins?
• Genes:
• segments of DNA that store information that
determines the sequence of amino acids of a
polypeptide
• The information in genes is decoded during the
production of a polypeptide via Transcription and
Translation
DNA and RNA Differences between
• Feature
• # of strands:
DNA
RNA
ds; double helix
• Type of Sugar:
deoxyribose
• Types of bases:
A,T,G,C
typically ss
ribose
A,U,G,C
Transcription – converting DNA into
RNA: Compare the structure of RNA
and DNA
Outline DNA transcription in terms
of the formation of an RNA strand
complementary to the DNA strand
by RNA polymerase
Describe the genetic code in termso
f codons composed of triplets of
bases
Translation Basics
• Carried out by:
• Ribosomes, mRNA, tRNA, the genetic code
Transfer RNA (tRNA)
• Explain the process of translation,
leading to polypeptide formation.
• Include the roles of messenger
RNA (mRNA), transfer RNA
(tRNA), codons, anticodons,
ribosomes, and amino acids
Translation Step 1 - Initiation
• http://vcell.ndsu.nodak.edu/animations/translati
on/movie.htm
Discuss the relationship of one
gene one polypeptide