Chapter 11

The Instructions for

Life: DNA and RNA

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 Structure of DNA

Structure of DNA:
Race to determine the structure
Chargaff’s rules
• Knew DNA contains four types of nucleotides
• Examined DNA from many species
• The amount of A, T, G, and C in DNA varies from species to species.

• In each species, the amount of A = T and the amount of G = C.

All nucleotides contain phosphate, a 5-carbon sugar, and a

nitrogen-containing base.

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 Figure 11.2a Nucleotide Composition of DNA and RNA

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 Figure 11.2 b, c, d Nucleotide Composition of DNA
and RNA

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Franklin’s X-ray diffraction data:
• Rosalind Franklin was studying the structure of DNA.
• Her data showed DNA to be a helix with some portions
repeating over and over.

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 The Watson and Crick Model

• 1951—James Watson and

Francis Crick set out to
bring together all the data
on DNA and build a model.
• The model suggested how
replication works.
• Their model holds true
today with few changes.
• Won the Nobel Prize

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 DNA Structure

• DNA structure is a double helix, like a twisted ladder.

• Deoxyribose sugar and phosphate molecules are bonded,
forming the sides, with the bases making up the rungs of the
ladder.
• Complementary base pairing of A&T and G&C
• Hydrogen bonding between the bases holds the halves of
the helix together.

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 Replication of DNA

Process of copying DNA before cell division

Two strands separate
• Each strand serves as a template for a new strand.

Semiconservative—each new DNA molecule is made of one

parent strand and one new strand.
Replication requires
• Unwinding—helicase
• Complementary base pairing
• Joining—DNA polymerase and DNA ligase

New DNA molecule exactly identical to original molecule

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 Semiconservative Replication

• Parent strand unwinds and separates by actions of helicase.

• New strands form through complementary base pairing by
actions of DNA polymerase.
• DNA ligase seals any breaks in the sugar-phosphate backbone.
• New DNA molecule will be half old and half new.
• New DNA molecule will be exactly identical to original molecule.

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 DNA Replication in Eukaryotes

In eukaryotes, DNA replication begins at numerous origins of

replication.
• Forms “replication bubbles”
• Bubbles spread in both directions until they meet.

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 Figure 11.7 Eukaryotic Replication

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 RNA Structure and Function

Contains sugar ribose

Uses uracil, not thymine
• Uses A, C, and G like DNA

Single-stranded
Three major types
• Messenger RNA (mRNA)

• Transfer RNA (tRNA)

• Ribosomal RNA (rRNA)

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 Figure 11.8 Structure of RNA

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 Table 11.1 Comparison of DNA and RNA

SIMILARITIES OF DNA AND RNA

Both are nucleic acids.
Both are composed of nucleotides.
Both have a sugar-phosphate backbone.
Both have four different types of bases.
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN DNA AND RNA
DNA RNA
Found in nucleus Found in nucleus and cytoplasm
Genetic material Helper to DNA
Sugar is deoxyribose. Sugar is ribose.
Bases are A,T,C,G. Bases are A,U,C,G.
Double-stranded Single-stranded
DNA is transcribed (to give a mRNA is translated
variety of RNA molecules). (to make proteins).

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 Types of RNA

The three types of RNA

Messenger RNA (mRNA)
• Produced in the nucleus from DNA template
• Carries genetic message to ribosomes
Transfer RNA (tRNA)
• Produced in the nucleus from DNA template
• Transfers amino acids to ribosomes
• Each type carries only one type of amino acid.
Ribosomal RNA (rRNA)
• Produced in the nucleolus of the nucleus from DNA template
• Joins with proteins to form ribosomes
• Ribosomes may be free or in polyribosomes (clusters) or attached to ER.

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 11.2 Gene Expression

Early 1900s, Sir Archibald Garrod suggests a relationship

between inheritance and metabolic diseases.
• First to suggest a link between genes and proteins
DNA provides a blueprint to synthesize proteins.
• Information flows from DNA to RNA to protein.

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Gene expression: Transcription
and Translation
Transcription:
• DNA serves as template to
make mRNA.
Translation:
• mRNA directs sequence of
amino acids in a protein.
• rRNA and tRNA assist

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 The Genetic Code

Translates from nucleic acids to amino acids

Triplet—3 nucleotide sequence in DNA
Codon—3 nucleotide sequence in mRNA
• A codon encodes a single amino acid.
• Start and stop codons

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 Figure 11.10 Messenger RNA Codons
Second base U Second base C Second base A Second base G

First base U UUU phenylalanine (Phe) UCU serine (Ser) UAU tyrosine (Tyr) UGU cysteine (Cys) Third base U

First base U UUC phenylalanine (Phe) UCC serine (Ser) UAC tyrosine (Tyr) UGC cysteine (Cys) Third base C

First base U UUA leucine (Leu) UCA serine (Ser) UAA stop UGA stop Third base A

First base U UUG leucine (Leu) UCG serine (Ser) UAG stop UGG tryptophan (Trp) Third base G

First base C CUU leucine (Leu) CCU proline (Pro) CAU histidine (His) CGU arginine (Arg) Third base U

First base C CUC leucine (Leu) CCC proline (Pro) CAC histidine (His) CGC arginine (Arg) Third base C

First base C CUA leucine (Leu) CCA proline (Pro) CAA glutamine (Gln) CGA arginine (Arg) Third base A

First base C CUG leucine (Leu) CCG proline (Pro) CAG glutamine (Gln) CGG arginine (Arg) Third base G

First base A AUU isoleucine (Ile) ACU threonine (Thr) AAU asparagine (Asn) AGU serine (Ser) Third base U

First base A AUC isoleucine (Ile) ACC threonine (Thr) AAC asparagine (Asn) AGC serine (Ser) Third base C

First base A AUA isoleucine (Ile) ACA threonine (Thr) AAA lysine (Lys) AGA arginine (Arg) Third base A

First base A AUG methionine (Met) (start) ACG threonine (Thr) AAG lysine (Lys) AGG arginine (Arg) Third base G

First base G GUU valine (Val) GCU alanine (Ala) GAU aspartic acid (Asp) GGU glycine (Gly) Third base U

First base G GUC valine (Val) GCC alanine (Ala) GAC aspartic acid (Asp) GGC glycine (Gly) Third base C

First base G GUA valine (Val) GCA alanine (Ala) GAA glutamic acid (Glu) GGA glycine (Gly) Third base A

First base G GUG valine (Val) GCG alanine (Ala) GAG glutamic acid (Glu) GGG glycine (Gly) Third base G

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 Transcription

Transcription:

• During transcription, complementary RNA is made from a

DNA template.
• Portion of DNA unwinds and unzips at the point of
attachment of RNA polymerase.
• Bases join in the order dictated by the sequence of bases
in the template DNA strand.

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 Transcription to Form mRNA

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 Processing Pre-mRNA

Newly made pre-mRNA must be processed.

• Capping and addition of poly-A tail provides stability
• Introns (noncoding) removed
• Leaves only exons (coding)
• Alternative splicing can produce different versions of
mRNA leading to different proteins.
• Now mature mRNA leaves nucleus and associates with
ribosome on cytoplasm.

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 Figure 11.12 mRNA Processing

e = exons
i = introns

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 Figure 11.13 tRNA Structure and Function

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