DNA, RNA & PROTEINS
The molecules of life
DNA
• Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA)
• is the blueprint for life:
• contains __________________________
DNA structure
• DNA is a polymer of
nucleotides
Each nucleotide composed of
Sugar___________
Phosphate_______
Nitrogen Base____
Four DNA bases
• Four kinds of nitrogenous bases:
• Purine bases
• Pyrimidine bases
DNA: Complimentary base pairing
• Adenine pairs with ____
A T
• Cytosine pairs with _____
C G
DNA STRUCTURE
• DNA is a _Double_ helix
• Discovered by
Watson and Crick, 1953
DNA REPLICATION
(in the nucleus)
• Each DNA strand
becomes a Template,
parent strand becomes apart
• Proper base-pairs are
assembled on that template
DNA replication
• Nucleotides are connected together to make
a new strand that is complimentary_ to the
old strand.
• The new double strand is
identical_ to the old double strand
• This is called ________________________
replication
A-T vs. G-C bond
• A-T is a double bond…
• C-G is a –triple -- bond (stronger)…
• DNA double strand can separate into 2 single
strands when heated.
• Which strand would require more heat (more
energy) to separate: an A-T rich or a C-G rich
double strand?
RNA structure and synthesis
• RNA: Single stranded___________________
• 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_)
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.
CENTRAL DOGMA
transcription
DNA translation
RNA
Proteins
• 3 different RNA molecules involved in
protein synthesis: mRNA, rRNA, tRNA__
• TRANSCRIPTION: RNA synthesis from
DNA.
For Teaching & academic instruction only
For Teaching & academic instruction only
Fig. 2. The arrows show the situation as it seemed in
1568. Solid arrows represent probable transfers, dotted Fig. 3. A tentative classification for the present day. Solid arrows
arrows possible transfers. The absent arrows (compare show general transfers; dotted arrows show special transfers.
Fig. 1) represent impossible transfer postulated by the Again, the absent arrows are the undesired transfers specified by
central dogma. They are three possible arrows starting central dogma.
from the protein
For Teaching & academic instruction only
For Teaching & academic instruction only
Transcription: DNA → RNA
• Transcription occurs in the _Nucleus________
• mRNA carries the message about what type of
protein to make from the DNA in the nucleus to
the ribosome
• The nucleotide sequences of RNA and DNA are
the same (except in RNA __Uracil_____ is used
instead of thymine)
• mRNA is synthesized from DNA using base
pairing
• DNA unwinds in a section
• RNA _polymerase__ attaches at the promoter sequence
of DNA, and it moves along the DNA, unzipping the
strands – this allows for one mRNA molecule to be
formed.
• During _Transcription__, a molecule of messenger RNA
is formed as a complementary copy of a region on one
strand of the DNA molecule
Transcription
• Once mRNA is formed, enzymes in the nucleus
remove the
• Introns _(Non-coding part)_ and leave the
• Exons _(Coding part)__
Genetic Code
Genetic code refers to the nucleotide sequence of the base on DNA
or RNA which translated into sequences of amino acids sequence of
proteins.
DNA consists of information for protein sequences. RNA consists of
four nucleotides: adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), and uracil
(U).
The genetic code is made up of three nitrogen bases which are
known as the triplet code.
The Genetic Code
• Each 3 consecutive bases on the mRNA is a code word,
codon, that specifies an amino acid.
• The genetic code consists of Triplet codons, but only
code single amino acids.
• Three codons act as signal terminators (UAG_,UAA,
UGA)
• One codon, AUG, codes for methionine, and is also the
start signal for translation.
20 Amino Acids
• There are 20
amino acids.
• They are like
the ‘bricks’,
or building
blocks to
make all
Proteins
Translation: RNA → Protein
• Translation: synthesizing a _Protein___ from
amino acids, according to the sequences of the
nucleotides in mRNA.
• Occurs at the Ribosomes _, in cytoplasm of cell
• Ribosomal RNA, rRNA, is needed for protein
synthesis – helps mRNA bind to the
_Ribosome_
• _tRNA__________ brings specific amino acids
to the ribosome to be assembled as proteins.
• _Ribosomal____ RNA,
rRNA, joins with a
Translation
number of proteins to
form ribosomes
• Ribosomes are the
sites of _Protein
Synthesis_
• Ribosomes consist of
a large subunit and
a small subunit.
mRNA binds to the
small___ subunit.
Transfer RNA (tRNA)
• Transport molecule that
carries specific amino
acids to a ribosome (80
nucleotides long)
• Each tRNA recognizes the
correct codon on the
mRNA molecule
Translation
Steps in Translation
1. mRNA leaves the nucleus and migrates to ribosome
2. mRNA binds to small ribosomal subunit
3. tRNA brings an amino acid to the ribosome, where
anticodon on the tRNA binds to the codon of the
mRNA
4. The amino acid bonds to its adjoining amino acid to
form a growing polypeptide molecule
5. The tRNA without the amino acid is released from the
ribosome
6. Other tRNA’s bring amino acids to the ribosome to
complete the protein molecule
Protein translation
Protein synthesis
• Occurs in the cytoplasm of the cell
Protein synthesis
• Amino acids are the repeating sub-units of
protein molecules.
• Amino acid order determines the protein
• 20__ amino acids exist in all life forms
• Order _of amino acids is important, determines
the 3-dimensional shape of the molecule.
• Structure of the protein determines its Activity_
Proteins
• Biological activity (function) of proteins
depends largely on its 3-D structure
Summary:
Genomic
Geography
• In Cell Nucleus: RNA is produced by transcription.
• RNA is single-stranded; substitutes the sugar ribose for deoxyribose and the base uracil for thymine
• Messenger RNA or mRNA, conveys the DNA recipe for protein synthesis to the cell cytoplasm.
• mRNA binds to ribosome, each three-base codon of the mRNA links to a specific form of
transfer RNA (tRNA) containing the complementary three-base sequence.
• This tRNA, in turn, transfers a single amino acid to a growing protein chain.
• Each codon directs the addition of one amino acid to the protein. Note: the same amino acid can be
added by different codons; in this illustration, the mRNA sequences GCA and GCC are both
specifying the addition of the amino acid alanine (Ala).