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" DNA Replication: " Discovery " Diagram

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19 views

" DNA Replication: " Discovery " Diagram

Uploaded by

0ptic0pcsgo
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Table of Contents

" What is DNA?

" Discovery
" Diagram
" DNA Structure

" Chargaff's Rule


" DNA Replication
" Function of DNA

Why DNA is called a Polynucleotide


Molecule?
10:11 PM AO

What is DNA?

"DNA is a group of molecules that is


responsible for carrying and
transmitting the hereditary
materials or the genetic instructions
from parents to offsprings."

This is also true for viruses, as most of these


entities have either RNA or DNA as their
genetic material. For instance, some viruses
may have RNA as their genetic material,
while others have DNA as the genetic
material. The Human Immunodeficiency
Virus (HIV) contains RNA, which is then
converted into DNAafter attaching itself to
the host cell.

Apart from being responsible for the

inheritance of genetic information in all


living beings, DNA also playsa crucial role in
the production of proteins. Nuclear DNA i
the DNA contained with in the nucleus of

every cell in aeukaryotic organism. It codes


for the majority of the organism's genomes
while the m Hi there! Got any questions? stid
DNA handles Ican help you...
10:12 PMO % l WiFi
the DNA contained within the nucleus of

every cellin aeukaryotic organism. It codes


for the majority of the organism's genomes
while the mitochondrial DNA and plastid
DNA handles the rest.

The DNA present in the mitochondria of the


cell is termed mitochondrial DNA. It is
inherited from the mother to the child. In
humans, there are approximately 16,000
base pairs of mnitochondrial DNA. Similarly,
plastids have their own DNA, and they play
an essentialrole in photosynthesis.

Also Read: Difference between gene


and DNA

Full-Form of DNA

DNA is known as Deoxyribonucleic Acid. It is


anorganic compound that has a unique
molecular structure. It is found in all

prokaryotic cells and eukaryotic cells.


DNA Types
There are three different DNA types:

" A-DNA: It is a right-handed double


helix similar to the B-DNA form.
Dehydrated DNA takes an Aform that
protects the DNA during extreme
conditions such as desiccation.
Protein binding also removes the
solvent from DNA, and the DNA takes
an A form.

" B-DNA: This is the most common DNA

conformation and is aright-handed


helix. The majority of DNA has a Btype
conformation under normal
physiological conditions.
" Z-DNA:Z-DNA is a left-handed DNA
where the double helix winds to the
left in a zig-zag pattern. It was
discovered by Andres Wang and
Alexander Rich. It is found ahead of
the start site of a gene and hence, is
believed to play some role in gene
regulation.
10:12 PM AO

Who Discovered DNA?


DNA Was first recognized and identified by
the Swiss biologist Johannes Friedrich
Miescher in 1869 during his research on
white blood cells.

The double helix structure of a DNA


molecule was later discovered through the
experimental data by James Watson and
Francis Crick. Finally, it was proved that DNA
0s responsible for storing genetic
information in living organisnms.
10:12 PM O

DNA Diagram
The following diagram explains the DNA
structure representing the different parts of
the DNA. DNA Comprises a sugar
phosphate backbone and the nucleotide
bases (guanine, cytosine, adenine and
thymine).

DNA STRUCTURE SBYJU'S

DD
Sugar Phosphate
Backbone

-Guanine Base Pair

Nitrogenous Cytosine
Bases
Thymine
Adenine

DNA Diagram representing the DNA


Structure
10:12 PMO %.l WiEi

DNAStructure
The DNA structure can be thought of as
a twisted ladder. This structure is
described as adouble-helix, as
illustrated in the figure above. It is a
nucleic acid, and allnucleic 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
(), Guanine (G) and Cytosine (C) are four
types of nitrogen bases.
10:13 PMO ll WIEi

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.

The order of the nitrogenous bases


determines the genetic code or the DNA's
instructions.

SOYJU'S

(1

1 Phosphate 2 Nitrogenous Base 9 Deoxyribose Sugar

Components of DNA Structure


10:13 PM

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.

SeYJU's

3'

3 ' Backbone

DNAStructure Backbone
10:13 PM O

The DNA molecule consists of 4 nitrogen


bases, namely adenine (A), thymine (T),
cytosine (c) and Guanine (G), which
ultimately form the structure of
nucleotide. The Aand G are purines, and the
Cand T are pyrimidines.

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 upa single turn.

The pitch of each helix is 3.4 nm. Hence, the


distance between two consecutive base

pairs (.e, hydrogen-bonded bases of the


opposite strands) is 0.34 nm.

SYJUS

1 2 3 4

Cell Nucleus 3 Chromosome DNA


10:13 PMO B l l wIE, 7J

The DNA coils up, forming chromosomes,


and edch chromnosome has a single

molecule of DNA in it.Overall, human beings


have around twenty-three pairs of
chromosomes in the nucleus of cells. DNA

also plays an essential role in the process of


cell division.
Chargaff's Rule
Erwin Chargaff, a biochemist,discovered
that the number of nitrogenous bases in
the DNA was present in equalquantities.
The amount of A is equal to T, whereas the
amount of C is equalto G.

A=T; C=G

In other words, the DNA of any cell from any


organism should have a l:1 ratio of purine
and pyrimidine bases.
10:14 PMO WIEi

DNA Replication
DNA replication is an important process
that occurs during cell division. It is
also known as semi-conservative

replication, during which DNA makes acopy


of itself.

DNA REPLICATION SBYJU'S

DNA polymerase
Free nucleotides Chromosome

Leading strand
Helicase
Lagging strand -Original DNA
-Replication fork

Original DNA DNA polymerase


strand

Adenine Thymine Cytosine Guanine

DNA replication takes place in three stages:


10:14 PMO

Step 1: Initiation
The replication of DNA begins at a point
known as the origin of replication. The two
DNAstrands are separated by the DNA
helicase. This forms the replication fork.

Step 2:Elongation
DNA polymerase ll reads the nucleotides on
the temnplate strand and makes a new
strand by adding complementary
nucleotides one after the other. For eg., if it
reads an Adenine on the template strand, it
will add a Thymine on the complementary
strand.

While adding nucleotides to the lagging


strand, gaps are formed between the
strands. These gaps are known as Okazaki
fragments. These gaps or nicks are sealed
by ligase.

Step 3: Termination
The termination sequence present opposite
to the origin of replication terminates the
replication p Hi there! Gotany questio ns?
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(terminus ut
terminator sequence and halts DNA
polymerase movement. It induces
termination.
Why DNA is called a
Polynucleotide Molecule?
The DNA iscalled a polynucleotide because
the DNA molecule is composed of
nucleotides - deoxyadenylate (A)
deoxyguanylate (G) deoxycytidylate
(C)and deoxythymidylate (T), which are
combined to create long chains called a
polynucleotide. As per the DNA structure, the
DNA cOnsists of two chains of
polynucleotides.
10:14 PMO

DNA Function
DNA is the genetic material which carries all
the hereditary information. Genes are the
small segments of DNA, consisting mostly
of 250 - 2million base pairs. A gene code
for a polypeptide molecule, where three
nitrogenous bases sequence stands for one
amino acid.

Polypeptide chains are further folded in


secondary, tertiary and quaternary
structures to form different proteins. As
every organism contains many genes in its
DNA, different types of proteins can be
formed. Proteins are the main functional
and structural molecules in most

organisms. Apart from storing genetic


information, DNA is involved in:

Replication process: Transferring the


genetic information from one cell to
its daughters and from one
generation to the next and equal
distribution of DNAduring the cell
divisior
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in the DN sequences

Transcription
" Cellular Metabolism
" DNA Fingerprinting

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