Proteins, DNA & the Genetic Code
By the end of this lesson you should be able to demonstrate an appreciation of: The huge variety of proteins & their diverse properties How these depend upon their amino acid sequences The “one-gene-one- polypeptide” hypothesis What a code does The structure of DNA How the base sequence of our DNA encodes the structure of the proteins – which make possible life.
Previous Knowledge: Structure of proteins (yr 12) Schematic structure of DNA (yr11) Cell microstructure (as seen with T.E.M.) (yr 12)
nucleus Human cheek cells cytoplasm (light microscope, 400x)
Ribosomes on rough endoplasmic reticulum Electron microscope, x
Each of the experiments A - E involves one from: haemoglobin keratin collagen gelatine catalase casein 1.Match one of these chemicals to each experiment 2.What do all these chemicals have in common? Diverse and Shapely Molecules They are all proteins
Enzymes: e.g. catalase “active site” binds around... substrate.. molecule
There are different types of enzyme in your liver cells! Each one acts as a catalyst to a different chemical reaction
Casein in Milk
Collagen
Keratin
Haemoglobin
Antibodies Virus Antigen Antigen binding sites
What ever life throws at you – there’s a protein for it!
Proteins make possible life.
Snakes! You have beads of four colours, how many different types of snake, five beads long, can you make in two minutes? If you had time and enough beads, how many different types of five bead snake would it be possible to make? = 4x4x4x4x4 = 1024
Protein molecules are built from amino acids – there are 20 types
There are 20 types of amino acids A typical protein is a chain of around 200 amino.... acids. How many different proteins are possible?
20x20x20x20x20x20x20x20x20x20x20x20x20x20x20x20x20x20x20x20 =1607 x
= 4x4x4x4x4 = 1024 “One-Gene-One-Polypeptide-Theory” Beadle and Tatum 1941 (USA) Archibald Garrod 1909 (England)
Keratin How do your hair cells know how to make your sort of keratin?
Each gene instructs a cell in what sequence to assemble the amino acids to make one particular protein - The One –Gene-One-Protein-Theory
DNA Cracking the Code!
Cracking the Genetic Code A code stores information in a different form A gene is a length of DNA Each gene stores the sequence of amino acids for a particular protein. You are about to crack the genetic code! You will be able to read a piece of DNA (a gene) to find the sequence of amino acids it encodes
..-./.-./.-/-./-.-./../…//-.-./.-./../-.-./-.- The name of a famous scientist is written in Morse code, below. Key: Francis Crick
-.-./..../.-/.-./.-../. /…//-../.-/.-./.--/.. /-. The name of a famous scientist is written in Morse code: Key: Charles Darwin
Part of a DNA Molecule Template strand Coding strand Its sequence of bases encodes the sequence of amino acids in a protein It is used to make copies of the coding strand
Template strand Coding strand Part of a DNA Molecule A G C G T G C T G A C A C G Sequence of bases:
The Genetic Code: A triplet of bases on your DNA codes for each type of amino acid The 20 Types of Amino Acid The Genetic Code (Start)
DNA Code Key: Triplet of bases Amino acid sequence of bases in DNA: A G C G T G C T G A C A C G sequence of amino acids in protein: Ser Val Leu Thr (Start)
A woman with diabetes Insulin
A chain B chain The Protein Insulin: Diagram showing the sequence of amino acids in a molecule of insulin
Human Insulin Molecule: Sequence of amino acids A chain B chain
1.Choose two contrasting proteins and relate their roles and properties. 2.Explain what determines their different properties. 3. What is meant by the “one-gene-one polypeptide” theory 4. Describe how a length of DNA encodes the primary structure of a protein. 5. The genetic code is “degenerate” and “non-overlapping” - what do these terms mean. Explain why each of these is significant.