Sadava, Hillis, Heller, Berenbaum

La nuova biologia.blu

SUMMING UP
Chapter B2 – The language of life
Lesson 1 – Genes are made of DNA
The discovery of hereditary material began with the identification of nuclein by Miescher,
but further experiments were required to clarify that it is DNA, and not proteins that stores
genetic information. At the beginning of the twentieth century Griffith discovered that the
transformation factor extracted from dead virulent bacteria was able to make an
innocuous strain of bacteria virulent, and Avery identified the chemical nature of the
transformation factor. This discovery was confirmed by Hershey and Chase through the
use of bacteriophages labelled with radioactive sulphur and phosphorus isotopes.

Lesson 2 –The structure of DNA

Many experiments were necessary to define the structure of DNA. The X-ray
crystallography studies carried out by Franklin and Wilkins suggested that the DNA
molecule had a spiral shape. Chargaff discovered that the ratio of nitrogen bases was
constant: in all species the same quantity of adenine (A) is present as that of thymine (T),
while the quantity of guanine (G) corresponds to that of cytosine (C).
Based on these data Watson and Crick proposed a three-dimensional model of DNA with
the structure of a double helix. In this model the two chains of the double helix are made
up of complementary covalently bonded nucleotides, joined by hydrogen bonds which form
between specific pairs of nitrogen bases (A with T and G with C). The chains are
antiparallel and twist around an axis giving the molecule the double helical shape.
The structure of DNA explains two important functions. Genetic information is stored in the
variable part of the molecule, i.e. the nitrogen bases, and the complementarity of the
bases makes the replication mechanism simple and efficient.

Lesson 3 – DNA replication is semi-conservative

DNA replication is semi-conservative: each parent strand acts as a template for the
synthesis of a new strand. Specific enzymes open the double helix at the origin of
replication (ori) to make two replication forks.
A primer is positioned on each template strand and DNA polymerase begins to synthesize
the new strands by adding nucleotides to the 3’ end of the primers.
Sadava,  Hillis,  Heller,  Berenbaum    
La  nuova  biologia.blu    
©  Zanichelli  editore  2016  
Replication proceeds differently on each strand: it is continuous on the leading strand
(whose 3’ end is free), while it is discontinuous and proceeds in the opposite direction on
the lagging strand (whose 5’ end is free). Many primers are synthesized on the lagging
strand followed by Okazaki fragments, which are later joined together by the enzyme
DNA ligase.
Cells have three different repair mechanisms to correct errors made by DNA polymerase
or repair damaged DNA. During replication DNA polymerase proof-reads the newly
synthesized strands to check that the bases are paired correctly.
In mismatch repair certain proteins capable of distinguishing the new strand from the
template check the newly replicated DNA and correct mismatched pairs. In base excision
repair specific enzymes check the DNA when it is not replicating for alterations in pairing
or in the structure of the bases, and eliminate and replace defective parts of the strand.
 

Sadava,  Hillis,  Heller,  Berenbaum    

La  nuova  biologia.blu    
©  Zanichelli  editore  2016