AGRI 21 – Principles of Genetics

THE CHEMICAL BASIS

OF HEREDITY
CHAPTER V

Hazel Achuela
TOPIC OUTLINE

Gene Chromosome DNA

 Let’s Recall!

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Ramirez et al. (2011)

A. THE CONCEPT OF THE GENE
RONALD FISHER
❑ Quantitative geneticist
❑ 1930, “the gene could be regarded from
2 viewpoints”:
1. A hypothetical entity by which one
could explain the results of breeding
experiments; or
2. As a chemical compound or molecule
 B. THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
OF THE CHROMOSOME
❑ Carriers of the genetic
material
❑ Chemical components
✓ Nucleic acids
– DNA, RNA

✓ Proteins
– histones and
nonhistones

Ramirez et al. (2011) https://www.genome.gov/sites/default/files/tg/en/illustration/histones.jpg

 C. THE DNA AS THE GENETIC MATERIAL
❑ Characteristics of the genetic material ------ Muller (1922)
1. Duplicate itself with extraordinary fidelity
2. Very stable
3. Mutation is copied faithfully
4. Carry all the necessary biological information
5. Transmit information from generation to generation
6. Information stored and carried must be decoded and translated into
action

Ramirez et al. (2011)

 C. THE DNA AS THE GENETIC MATERIAL
❑Research Results
1. The DNA content is usually constant
between cells in an individual, and
relatively constant between individuals of
the same species.
2. The amount of DNA in haploid tissues is
half that found in a newly formed diploid
cell of the same individual.
◦ Restored during fertilization
3. The amount of DNA doubles during the
interphase, then gets equally distributed
to the 2 daughter nuclei at anaphase.
Ramirez et al. (2011)
 TRANSFORMATION- a bacterium takes up a piece of DNA
C. THE DNA AS THE floating in its environment.

GENETIC MATERIAL
❑Research Results
4. Cells with extra sets of
chromosomes have a
proportional increase in DNA
content. TRANSDUCTION – DNA is accidentally moved from one
bacterium to another by a virus
5. Mutation is copied or
transmitted.
6. Transformation and
transduction in bacteria
provide direct and conclusive
evidence.

Ramirez et al. (2011)

TRANSFORMATION
❑ Frederick Griffith (1928)
❑ Diplococcus pneumoniae
✓ S type (smooth,
avirulent)
✓ R type (rough, virulent)

❑ Hypothesis
Material in dead bacterial cells
can transform living bacterial
cells.

❑ Conclusion
A chemical substance from one
cell is genetically transforming
another cell.

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Oswald, Avery, and MacLeod
 D. CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF DNA
❑ James Watson and Francis Crick (1953)
➢ proposed the molecular structure of DNA

Ramirez et al. (2011) https://static.javatpoint.com/biology/images/dna-structure3.jpg

 E. MOLECULAR
STRUCTURE OF DNA

Francis Crick
James Watson
 WATSON-CRICK MOLECULAR STRUCTURE
1. A DNA polymer consists of nucleotides linked by 3’-5’
phosphodiester bonds.
Phosphodiester bonds
- Connects P group with
sugar

Hydrogen bonds
- Connects bases together

Glycosidic bonds
- Connects sugar and base

Ramirez et al. (2011) https://bit.ly/3n0liPV ; https://bit.ly/3C3aV1M

 WATSON-CRICK MOLECULAR STRUCTURE
2. DNA base composition follows Chargaff’s rules.

Ramirez et al. (2011) https://bit.ly/3n0liPV ; https://bit.ly/3C3aV1M

 WATSON-CRICK MOLECULAR STRUCTURE
3. Purified native DNA can be
denatured by gentle
heating.
The denatured DNA exhibits
marked changes in physical
properties, but there would
be no cleavage of covalent
bonds.

Ramirez et al. (2011) https://bit.ly/3n0liPV ; https://bit.ly/3C3aV1M

 WATSON-CRICK MOLECULAR STRUCTURE
4. The X-ray diffraction patterns of DNA fibers indicate the
helical structure of the molecule

Ramirez et al. (2011) https://bit.ly/3n0liPV ; https://bit.ly/3C3aV1M

 DNA: A CLOSER LOOK

Ramirez et al. (2011) https://bit.ly/3odn1Az; https://bit.ly/3oe8bKd

 DNA: PROKARYOTES vs EUKARYOTES

PROKARYOTES EUKARYOTES
Naked (no histones) With histones
Circular Linear
No introns With introns
Found in cytoplasm (nucleoid) Found in nucleus

Ramirez et al. (2011) https://bit.ly/30fqx5E