Cell Structure

DNA

“The Blueprint of Life”

Deoxyribonucleic Acid
 Deoxyribonucleic Acid

• DNA codes for your genes (traits)

• Determines your characteristics

• Causes diversity in living things

• All organisms have DNA

The concept of DNA
• Established by James
Watson & Francis Crick

• Rosalind Franklin
 The concept of DNA
• Is a complex molecule with a
double helix structure

• Is made of repeating subunits

called nucleotides

• It has complementary base pairing

• A–T
• G–C
 The structure of nucleotide

Each nucleotide has three parts:

• Phosphate group

• Deoxyribose (sugar)

• Nitrogenous base (either

A,T,G,C)c
Four different types of
nitrogenous base
 Base-Pair Rule
Complementary base-pairing rule

Adenine <==> Thymine

Guanine <==> Cytosine

 The structure of DNA

• The sides of the DNA ladder

are phosphate & sugar (sugar-
phosphate backbone)

• Held together by hydrogen

bonds between N-bases
 Base Pair Rule

One side: ATA TCA TGC GGG

Other side:

Codon: three consecutive nucleotides in a DNA or RNA

molecule that codes for a specific amino acid
 Base Pair Rule

One side: ATA TCA TGC GGG

Other side: TAT AGT ACG CCC

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qy8dk5iS1f0
 How the Code Works
The combination of A,T,G,C determines what traits you
might have, for ex.

CAT CAT = purple hair

TAC TAC = yellow hair

Think of the bases of DNA like letters.

Letters form words....

Words form sentences....

**endless combinations
 Let's Review What We Know About DNA
1. DNA stands for: D _____ ribo _________ acid
2. What is the shape of DNA? _______________
3. Who established the structure of DNA? ____________
4. Adenine always pairs with _______________
5. The sides of the DNA ladder are deoxyribose & _________
6. Guanine always pairs with _____________
7. What is the complimentary sequence: A A T G C A
8. The two sides of DNA are held together by _______ bonds.
9. DNA is composed of repeating subunits called ___________
10. What are the 4 bases that make up the rungs of the DNA ladder?
_______________________________________
 Let's Review What We Know About DNA
1. DNA stands for: Deoxiribonucleic acid
2. What is the shape of DNA? Double helix
3. Who established the structure of DNA? Watson & Crick
4. Adenine always pairs with Thymine
5. The sides of the DNA ladder are deoxyribose & phosphate groups
6. Guanine always pairs with Cytosine
7. What is the complimentary sequence: AAT GCA
TTA CGT
8. The two sides of DNA are held together by hydrogen bonds.
9. DNA is composed of repeating subunits called nucleotides
10. What are the 4 bases that make up the rungs of the DNA ladder?
Adenine, Thymine, Guanine & Cytosine
 Base-Pair
Studying Rule
DNA – DNA extraction

Why do we need to study DNA?

• important to study the genetic causes of

disease
• the development of diagnostics & drugs
• carrying out forensic science (e. g.
finding the criminal)
• sequencing genomes
• detecting bacteria & viruses in the
environment
• determining paternity
 Base-Pair Rule
DNA extraction – how to do it?

DNA extraction involves

lysing the cells &
solubilising DNA, which is
followed by chemical or
enzymatic methods to
remove lipids, RNA, or
proteins from cell
membrane.
 Base-Pair Rule
Compounds used in DNA extraction
Detergent: will cause the cell to pop open, or
lyse.

Alcohol: causes the DNA to precipitate out.

DNA's sugar-phosphate backbone is charged.

Salt:
o
neutralises the DNA charge
o
makes the molecule less hydrophilic, so it
becomes less soluble in water
o
helps removing proteins that are bound to
the DNA
o
keeps the proteins dissolved in the water