The Structure of DNA

TOPICS TO BE COVERED

 What is DNA?

 Where it is found?

 DNA structure

 Subunits of DNA structure

 History of DNA

 Watson crick model

 Forms of DNA
What is DNA (Deoxyribonucleic
acid)?

• Deoxyribonucleic acid, a self-

replicating material which is present in
nearly all living organisms as the main
constituent of chromosomes.

• It’s a polymer of deoxyribonucleotides

• It is the carrier of genetic information.

• DNA is a double stranded molecule

that is twisted into a helix.
 WHERE IT IS LOCATED

• DNA is present in cells of all

living organisms.

• DNA Present in nucleus of

cell is called nuclear DNA.

• And present in mitochondria

is called mitochondrial DNA.
Basic structure of DNA

• Basic structure of DNA is sugar

phosphate backbone with four
variable nitrogenous bases.

• Sugar and phosphate attached by

a phosphodiester bond.

• DNA is said to be read from 5’ to

3’.

• Opposing backbone are

antiparallel.
Subunits of DNA

• Subunits of DNA are nucleotides.

• Nucleotides are composed of sugar,

base and phosphate.

• Nucleotide bases are of two types

• Purines
• pyrimidines
 Nucleotides components

NUCLEOTIDES

SUGAR
Deoxyribose and BASE PHOSPHATE
ribose sugar

PURINES eg.
Adenine and guanine

PYRIMIDINES
Thymine cytosine
and uracil
Difference between nucleoside
and nucleotide:

Nucleosides Nucleotides
1.It consists of a 1.It consists of a
nitrogeneous nitrogeneous
base which is base , a sugar
attached to a and one to three
sugar but phosphate
without the group.
phosphate 2.nuleotide=sug
group. ar+base+phosph
2. ate.
nucleoside=sug
ar+base.
 Nitrogenous bases in DNA

• PURINES
1. Adenine
2.Guanine

• PYRIMIDINES
3.Cytosine
4.Uracil
5.Thymine
 Bases
Purines Pyrimidines
• A purine is 9 • 6 membered ring
membered ring • It is single ring

• It is a double ring • It contain two

nitrogen atoms
• A purine contains
four nitrogen • Pyrimidine bases
atoms are :
• Cytosine, uracil
• Purine bases are and thymine
two types:
• Adenine and
guanine
 Sugar

Deoxyribose sugar Ribose sugar

Sugars:
Deoxyribose, It contains all the hydroxyl
or more accurately 2- groups on all carbon atoms
deoxyribose, is a
monosaccharide, and its
name indicates that it is a
deoxy sugar, meaning that
it is derived from the sugar
ribose by the loss of one
oxygen atom.
 A HISTORY OF DNA
• Discovery of the DNA double helix
A. Frederick Griffith – Discovers that a factor in diseased
bacteria can transform harmless bacteria into deadly bacteria
(1928)

B. Rosalind Franklin - X-ray photo of DNA (1952)

C. Watson and Crick - described the DNA molecule from

Franklin’s X-ray. (1953)
 Watson & Crick proposed…

•DNA had specific base pairing between bases:

ADENINE – THYMINE

CYTOSINE- GUANINE

DNA was made up of two long strands of

nucleotides arranged in a specific way called
“complementary rule”.

The two strands are antiparallel

The sugar-phosphate backbones remain on the

outside, while the core of the helix contains the
purine and pyrimidine bases
Chargaffs rules

First rule of chargaff: Adenine

always pair with thymine and guanine
always pair with cytosine.

The second of Chargaff's rules: is

that the composition of DNA varies
from one species to another, in
particular in the relative amounts of A,
G, T, and C bases..
 DNA structure

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_-6JXLYS-k
FORMS OF DNA
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A, B and Z DNA
 Importance of DNA

Genealogy

Disease
Importance Diagnosis
Agriculture of DNA and
Treatment

Forensics