1. DNA
The Genetic Material

2. What is DNA? DNA = deoxyribose nucleic acid
DNA is the genetic material found in the nucleus that contains all the instructions for life.
DNA is passed from parent cells to daughter cells after it is copied during the cell cycle

3. Discovery
In 1953 James Watson and Francis Crick, figured out the structure of DNA.
Rosalind Franklin also made very important contributions to the discovery of DNA!

4. DNA Structure
DNA is shaped like a twisted ladder or a spiral staircase.
Because of the shape it is often called a double helix

5. DNA Ladder The two sides of the ladder are
made of sugar called deoxyribose
The sugar molecules alternate
with phosphate molecules
Each rung (middle sections)
are made of a pair of molecules
called nitrogen bases.

6. Review How would you describe the shape of DNA? Twisted ladder
Spiral staircase
Double helix
All of the above

7. Nitrogen Bases
Adenine (A)
Thymine(T)
Guanine(G)
Cytosine (C)

8. Base Pair Bonding Base pairs always bond with the same partner! A-T
C-G

9. DNA The arrangement of nitrogen bases in the DNA forms a chemical code
That is why DNA is known
as a genetic code!
Sections in the
chromosome are called
genes and they carry the
“code” for different traits
(hair color/eye color/etc.)

10. review DNA is known as: The brain of the cell The powerhouse
The genetic code

11. DNA Replication Replication is the processes of making DNA copies
What phase of the cell cycle does this happen?

12. DNA Replication
A cell makes a copy of its DNA before mitosis occurs. (Interphase!)
DNA replication makes sure that each daughter cell will have identical genetic information from the parent cell.
Without DNA replication life would end as we know it!!!

13. Video