DNA, RNA & PROTEINS Part 1 The molecules of life
Roles of DNA: Store, Copy and Transmit Information DNA provides the instructions for an organisms structure and characteristics DNA can be copied to make new cells that are identical to the original cell (Replication) Roles of DNA: Store, Copy and Transmit Information RNA (Nucleic Acid used for making protein) Transcription Translation Protein synthesis Amino acids
DNA Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) is the blueprint for life: contains ALL the necessary information to make a new organism
DNA structure DNA is a polymer of nucleotides Each nucleotide composed of a phosphate, a sugar (deoxyribose), and organic nitrogenous base.
Four DNA bases Four kinds of nitrogenous bases: Purine bases A = Adenine G = Guanine Pyrimidine bases T = Thymine C = Cytosine
DNA: Complimentary base pairing Adenine pairs with Thymine A T Cytosine pairs with Guanine C G
Each DNA strand is a compliment of the other Original strand Matching copy A T C G G C T A
DNA STRUCTURE DNA is a double helix Discovered by Watson and Crick, 1953
DNA structure
Antiparallel Strands
DNA REPLICATION (in the nucleus) Each DNA strand becomes a template, parent strand becomes apart Proper base-pairs are assembled on that template (with proper enzymes: polymerase and ligase). There’s always a pool of nucleotides (A,C,T,G) in the nucleus
Semi-Conservative Replication ½ of the original is “conserved” and the other half is “new”
RNA structure and synthesis RNA: Ribonucleic Acid Is very similar to DNA (repeating subunits, nucleotides). Difference between RNA and DNA: Each nucleotide contains a different sugar (ribose instead of deoxyribose) Bases are A, G, C, and U (uracil, not thymine) A pairs with U; G pairs with C
RNA RNA is single stranded and shorter RNA is less stable than DNA: RNA doesn’t persist in the cell for long (sometimes it exists for a few seconds), whereas DNA can persist for the life of the cell.
Protein Synthesis DNA RNA Proteins transcription DNA RNA Proteins 3 different RNA molecules involved in protein synthesis: Messenger RNA (mRNA) Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) Transfer RNA (tRNA) translation