1. Course in Molecular Biology
Leuven, October – November 2002
Program
Basics of molecular biology
Transcription
Translation
Regulatory pathways
DNA and diseases
Biotechnology

2. Lesson 1: Basics of molecular biology
I. The Cell’s Organization
II. Cell Cycle and Cell Division
III. Cellular Molecules
IV. The Genetic Dogma

3. The Cell’s Organization

4. All organisms: 1 or more cells
EUKARYOTES
PROKARYOTES

5. The animal cell

6. A plant cell

7. A bacterium

8. The Main Functions of the Membrane-bounded
Compartments of a Eukaryotic Cell
Compartment
Main Function
Cytosol
contains many metabolic pathways
protein synthesis
Nucleus
contains main genome
DNA and RNA synthesis
Endoplasmic reticulum (ER)
synthesis of most lipids
synthesis of proteins for distribution to many organelles and plasma membrane
Golgi apparatus
modification, sorting, and packaging of proteins and lipids
for either secretion or delivery to another organelle
Lysosomes
intracellular degradation
Endosomes
sorting of endocytosed material
Mitochondria
ATP synthesis by oxidative phosphorylation
Chloroplasts (in plant cells)
ATP synthesis and carbon fixation by photosynthesis
Peroxisomes
oxidation of toxic molecules

9. Compartimentation of the eukaryote cell:
various organelles

10. Cell nucleus Contains genetic information: DNA Nucleolus:
Ribosome building machine
Protein factories
in the cytoplasm

12. Each human cell contains 46 chromosomes (except sperm or egg cells)

13. in a cell that is about to divide
Chromosomes
in a cell that is about to divide

14. Mitochondria: factories of energy
glucose O2 Pi
ADP
ATP
H2O
CO2

15. The endoplasmic reticulum
smooth (metabolism+synthesis of lipids)
rough (protein synthesis)

16. The Golgi apparatus cis trans medial
 processing of secretory proteins
 sorting cellular proteins

17. Inside the cytosol: the cytoskeleton
“microtubules”
maintainance of cell shape and mobility
ancor for other cellular structures

18. Presentation:
DNA

19. Cell Cycle and Cell Division

20. Some Eukaryotic Cell-Cycle Times
Cell Type
Cell-Cycle Times
Early frog embryo cells
30 minutes
Yeast cells
1.5-3 hours
Intestinal epithelial cells
about 12 hours
Mammalian fibroblasts in culture
about 20 hours
Human liver cells
about 1 year

21. The eukaryotic cell cycle

22. Separation of sister chromatides during mitosis
(mitosis = normal cell division)

23. assist chromosomes during cell division (mitosis)
Microtubuli:
assist chromosomes during cell division (mitosis)

24. Different stages of the M phase during cell division (mitosis)

25. The three DNA sequence elements needed to produce a eukaryotic chromosome that can be replicated and then segregated at mitosis

26. Kinetochores and kinetochore microtubules

27. Gametogenesis: meiosis
(= specialized form of cell division giving rise to sperm and egg cells)
Meiosis I

28. Meiosis I (continued) Meiosis II  Haploid cell
Cell division without DNA replication
 Haploid cell

29. Chromosomes, mitosis and meiosis
Presentation:
Chromosomes, mitosis and meiosis

30. Cellular Molecules

31. The four main families of small organic molecules in cells

32. Macromolecules are abundant in cells

33. The general reaction by which a macromolecule is made
Condensation reaction: H2O molecule is released

34. The four main families of small organic molecules in cells

35. Glucose, a simple sugar

36. Monosaccharides

37. Sugar ring formation in aqueous solution

38. formed by two sugar monomers
Disaccharides:
formed by two sugar monomers

39. Oligo- and polysaccharides

40. Complex oligosaccharides

41. The four main families of small organic molecules in cells

45. Phospholipid structure and orientation of phospholipids in membranes

46. The four main families of small organic molecules in cells

47. A simple amino acid: alanine

49. A small part of a large protein molecule

50. The four main families of small organic molecules in cells

53. the energy carrier in cells
ATP:
the energy carrier in cells

54. Various functions of proteins

55. Proteins as polypeptide chains

56. Three types of noncovalent bonds that help proteins fold

57. The size of proteins

58. Several levels of protein organization

59. Many protein molecules contain multiple copies
of a single protein subunit

60. Proteins often have highly specific binding sites

61. How a set of enzyme-catalyzed reactions generates a metabolic pathway

62. Phosphorylation and ATP hydrolysis drive protein functions

63. Genetic information is stored in the DNA

64. DNA and its building blocks

65. DNA has an orientation

66. DNA encodes proteins

67. “Genes” encode proteins

68. DNA replication

69. DNA synthesis and proofreading

70. Replication of eukaryotic chromosomes

71. The replication fork in detail

72. DNA replication can cause mutations

73. DNA repair

74. possible cause of diseases and disfunctionalities
Mutations:
possible cause of diseases and disfunctionalities

75. The Genetic Dogma

76. From DNA to protein

77. Transcription by RNA polymerase

78. RNA vs DNA mRNAs codes for proteins rRNAs
forms part of the structure of the ribosome and participates in protein synthesis
tRNAs
used in protein synthesis as an adaptor between mRNA and amino acids
Small RNAs
used in pre-mRNA splicing, transport of proteins to ER, and other cellular processes

79. Genes contain introns and exons

80. Heredity and inheritance
Presentation:
Heredity and inheritance