 Where is DNA located in the Cell?
 What do we know about DNA?

Inside the nucleus of every human cell is nearly 6 feet of DNA!
It can't be crammed into the nucleus like a ball of string.
Instead, it is combined with proteins and organized into a precise, compact structure, a dense string-like fiber called chromatin

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Each DNA strand wraps around groups of small protein molecules called histones forming a series of bead-like structures, called nucleosomes,
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Under the microscope, uncondensed chromatin has a "beads on a string" appearance.
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This compression and structuring of DNA serves several functions. The allows the DNA takes up much less space, and inactive DNA can be folded into inaccessible locations until it is needed.

DNA before Replication

DNA structure
 DNA is made up of many nucleotides connected together
 A nucleotide is made of:
– Sugar (deoxyribose)
– Phosphate
– Base
• Adenine, Guanine, Thymine or Cytosine
Phosphate
BASE
SUGAR

DNA structure
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The same bases always connect together
A — T and C — G
 The order of the bases give the DNA its information or code
 DNA always comes in two strands, like a ladder — it is called double stranded

DNA structure
 In 3-D
 DNA winds up in a double helix

How could you get DNA out of a nucleus?
How much DNA material could you retrieve from a strawberry?
What would the DNA look like?
What would you be able to see?

 Purpose:
 Procedure: See Hand out
 Data:Observations

Copying DNA: DNA replication
 Before the cell divides in Mitosis and
Meiosis all of the DNA must be copied.
 How?

Do you remember the basic form of DNA?

 DNA needs to replicate itself to create more cells.
 Both body cells and sex cells

Steps to DNA replication
 DNA is unwound and unzipped by enzymes
 The DNA code is read by DNA polymerase
(an enzyme) which adds the corresponding nucleotide (Nitrogenous base, sugar and phosphate)
 Example Adenine is added to Thymine and
Cytosine is added to Guanine

DNA before Replication

Both DNA Strands are read and a new identical DNA strand is created.
 If the original DNA strand was
ATCGCCGTTA The corresponding strand created would be TAGCGGCAAT
 What strand would be created if the original strand was AAAACCGGATTT?
 The strand would be TTTTGGCCTAAA
 You are so SMART!!!!!!!!!!!

Lets try a few more What DNA strand would be created from the following DNA strand?
 AATTACGCGGCCC
Did you say TTAATGCGCCGGG
How about TATATACCGATTTA
Did you say ATATATGGCTAAAT
Great!!!

T
The DNA Polymerase
 serves as a proof reader to correct any mistakes that could occur
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Mistakes occur in 1/10,000 nucleotides added. An error creating a
DNA could cause a disease to occur or the wrong directions given in another part of the cell.
Fun Fact… some people lack DNA polymerase.
 They are more succeptable to getting cancer when DNA is damaged from exposure to UV rays.

How is the code read in the DNA to create proteins and give directions other places in the cell?

Transcription
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The code to create proteins which lies in the
DNA must be carried to a place where there are materials for the proteins to be created.
Where are proteins created?
There is a Problem!!!!
DNA is copied to mRNA because DNA is too big to leave through the nuclear pores.
It must be changed to something that can fit through the nuclear membrane mRNA can do the job!!!!

mRNA is created
 RNA Polymerase opens the DNA molecule
 RNA polymerase looks for a specific code that tells it when to start creating mRNA called a promoter
 mRNA is created similarly to how DNA is replicated except mRNA does not have
Thymine.mRNA Polymerase adds uracil to the mRNA strand instead of thymine to an adenine
The corresponding Nitrogenous bases are added as well as the sugar and phosphate attached.

Can you break the DNA code?
 If the DNA sequence was
ATTCGGCCATT what would the mRNA sequence be that was created?
 ___________________________
 Did you say UAAGCCGGUAA
 Yeah!!

Lets try a few more
 If the DNA sequence was
ATTCCGCCGG
What would the mRNA sequence be?
 Did you say UAAGGCGGCC?
 How about TTCCGCGCGCCGAA?
 Did you say AAGGCGCGCGGCUU
 Great!!!

Translation: when proteins are made from the mRNA code
 The mRNA travels to the ribosome where the building materials are
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TrNA (Transfer RNA) is great at breaking codes in the mRNA to make proteins
Proteins are made of Amino Acids
There is a specific code for every three letter nitrogenous base sequence in mRNA
These three letter sequences are called codons.
Each codon tells which amino acid to add to the protein.

Three letter Codes are Codons.

For example….
 GUU on mRNA signals a transfer rNA molecule to bring Valine a specific type of amino acid.
 If the three letters were GCC the tRNA would bring Alanine and add it to the protein.
 Just like building blocks make a wall,Different amino acids create a unique protein
 This occurs at the ribosome

If I gave you the RNA sequence of
CGGGUAUUAUGUGAAUGA what series of Amino Acids would be created into a protein?
Did you say Arginine,Valine,Leucine, Cytosine and Glutamine?
YOU ROCK!!!!!

Lets try one more….. If I gave you the MrNA strand of
CGUAGUAGAAGGGCGUGA what Amino Acids would you bring together?
Arganine, Serine, Argenine, Argenine,Alanine
FABULOSO!!!!!

Amino Acids connect to make proteins

Here is a great picture of the whole process….

To review, I will give you the player…. You will tell me what is does in the process and where it hangs out. First for DNA replication
 DNA strand
 DNA polymerase

Now for transcription and
 translation
DNA strand
 Nuclear Membrane
 RNA polymerase
 MrNA
 TrNA
 Amino Acid
 Ribosome
 Codon
 Protein

Your Job…….
 Create 2 comic strips:
 1 comic must illustrate how DNA is created for creating new cells
 It must include all major players involved
 They must talk about their role in the process in your own words
 They must be pictured in the location they do their job.

The other comic….
 Illustrates transcription (Creation of mRNA) and translation (Creation of a protein)
(How mRNA is created and the code from a
DNA molecule allows a unique protein to be made)
 This comic must represent each player involved….
 Each player must talk about their individual role in the process
 Each player must be located in the environment they do their job.

This will be due….
 Next Friday
 You will have Friday as a work day and some of Monday/Tuesday

Making Copies: DNA Replication
1.
When DNA is copied, the rungs of the ladder break right down the middle, and pulls apart.
2. A protein: DNA polymerase, grabs onto new nucleotides and attaches them using the old DNA as a template
3. New bases are matched to the exposed bases on each strand, and the original DNA molecule becomes two new identical DNA
4. The result is two identical DNA molecules!!