DNA

● Different forms of DNA:

a. B-DNA
b. Z-DNA
c. A-DNA
d. C-DNA
e. D-DNA

● Characteristics of DNA:
1. Number of base pairs in human genome: 3.3×10​9​ in haploid, and in diploid, 6.6×10​9
2. Length of DNA : 1.7-2.2 metre
3. DNA is polynucleotide chain
a. POLYNUCLEOTIDE CHAIN: When a number of nucleotides are joined
with each other by phospho-diester linkage, then a polynucleotide chain
is formed.
A nucleotide is composed by nitrogen base, phosphate group and sugar.
In DNA sugar is 2-Deoxyribose and 2 types of nitrogenous bases are
present , purine and pyrimidine.

Purine : ​It is a double-ringed structure with nitrogen at positions at 1,3,7 and 9 positions.
Eg: Adenine, Guanine

Purine Adenine Guanine

Pyrimidine : ​It is a 6-membered single-ringed structure with nitrogen at positions at 1,3

Eg: Cytosine, Thiamine(in DNA), Uracil(in RNA)
Pyrimidine Cytosine Thiamine Uracil

Adenine = Nitrogenous base

Adenine + Ribose = Adenosine(Nucleoside)
Adenine + 2-Deoxyribose = Deoxyadenosine(Deoxyribonucleoside)
Adenine + 2-Deoxyribose + Phosphate = Deoxyadenosine Monophosphate(Nucleotide)
Adenine + Ribose + Phosphate = Adenosine Monophosphate[AMP]
Adenine + Ribose + 2 Phosphate = Adenosine Diphosphate[ADP]
Adenine + Ribose + 3 Phosphate = Adenosine Triphosphate[ATP]
Formation of a nucleoside

Formation of a nucleotide
3’ and 5’ ends of a nucleotide
 Phosphodiester linkage
● The free PO​4​3-​ of a polynucleotide chain is called 5’ end
● The free OH oh a polynucleotide chain is called 3’ end
Hydrogen bonding between A and T
Hydrogen bonding between G and C
A small cross section of
DNA(Homework)
Another HW
Watson-Crick:
Watson-Crick model talks about B-DNA

In 1953, James Watson and Watson Crick proposed the DNA Double Helix structure. They prepared the
model on the basis of Chargoff’s rule of base pairing, and X-ray diffraction pattern of DNA.

Theory of Watson-Crick model:

1) DNA-molecule is formed by two long polynucleotide chains. It’s monomers are

Deoxyadenylic acid, Deoxyguanylic acid, Deoxythymidylic acid, and Deoxycytidylic
acid.

2) Bonds in DNA:
a) N-Glycosidic bond: It is a linkage between Nitrogenous base and
deoxyribose sugar.
b) Phospo-diester linkage: Adjacent nucleotides are connected together by
phospho-diester linkage. In any nucleotide, Phosphate group is attached to
its hydroxyl group at 5' C of Pentose sugar. During the bond formation, the
phosphate group is attached to the hydroxyl group of 3' carbon of the next
nucleotide.

3) Two spiral strands of DNA are called DNA duplex. 2 strands are not coiled upon each
other, but, whole double strand is coiled upon itself around a common axis in a right
handed manner​1​. This type of coiling is known as plectonemic.
4) Complementary base pairing occurs between purine of one strand and pyrimidine of
another strand. Adenine of one strand always pairs with thymine of the other
strand. Guanine of one strand always pairs with cytosine of the other strand.
5) Chargaff Principle: According to Erwin Chargoff,
a. The purine and the pyrimidine bases are always equal in amount [A+G=T+C]

b. The amount of adenine is always equal to thiamine and the amount of

guanine is always equal to the amount of cytosine.

6) Hydrogen bonding: 2 hydrogen bonds occur between Adenine and Thymine; and 3
hydrogen bonds occur between Cytosine and Guanine. Hydrogen bonds hold the
two strands of DNA together.
7) Polarity: One end of each DNA strand has a free PO​4​3-​ and other end of the strand
has free hydroxyl group at 3' of pentose sugar of nucleotide. Polarity of a DNA

1
A right handed screw is a screw which, when turned from left to right, will go deeper into a surface. A helix with a
coiling similar to the right handed screw is called a right handed helix,
Right handed screw​ , ​Right handed DNA
 strand is determined only while it undergoes central dogma​2​ processes. For more on
polarity, see this video ​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUNbqa72Ess
8) Backbone of DNA strand : Deoxyribose sugar and phosphate radical form backbone
of DNA strand. Nitrogen base is present at right angle to it.
9) Antiparallel strands: 2 strands of the DNA duplex are parallel but oriented in the
opposite direction. 5’ end of one strand lies opposite to the 3’ end of another strand
and if one strand is 5’->3’ then another is 3’->5’. This type of arrangement helps in
complementary base pairing and replication of DNA.
10) X-ray diffraction pattern of DNA: According to Rosalin Franklin and Mouris Wilkins,
DNA is a long molecule consisting of two similar strands running in parallel and
helical manner. The distance between two successive nucleotides is 3.4 angstrom
and 0.34 nanometres. The diameter of DNA is 20 angstrom. 10 pairs of nucleotides
are present in each turn.

● Denaturation of DNA: When DNA is heated ,the hydrogen bonds between two DNA strands
break. So, the strands get separated.
● Annealing of DNA : When temperature is decreased, hydrogen bonds between two DNA strands
again form. So, the strands again get joined.

2
"Central dogma of molecular biology - Wikipedia."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_dogma_of_molecular_biology​. Accessed 9 Nov. 2020.