Lecture 5
Bases of molecular genetics
Structure of DNA
DNA molecule contains two
chains of polynucleotides. Each
chain is composed of numerous
monomers – nucleotides.
These two chains are helically
wrapped around each other
forming DNA double helix
Each nucleotide is
made up of three
components:
nitrogen-containing
base (two purines:
A,G and two
pyrimidines: T, C;
pentose sugar
(deoxyribose);
phosphate group
Thenumber of A equals the number of
T, and the number of G equals the
number of C. It’s The Chargaff’s rule.
Thetwo strands run in opposite
directions i.e. they are antiparallel.
They are complementary to each
other.
DNA packaging
Complex
of DNA histone proteins are called
chromatin.
There are up to six levels of chromatin packaging:
Nucleosome (11nm)
Solenoid (30 nm)
Loop Domains (300nm)
Interphase Chromosome (700nm)
Metaphase Chromosome (1400nm)
Nucleosome
Solenoid
Loop Domains
Interphase Chromosome
Metaphase Chromosome
Types of chromosomes
DNA Replication
DNAReplication occurs by
means semiconservative
model.
Twocomplementary
strands of DNA come apart
and serve as template
strands for the synthesis of
two new strands of DNA.
Enzymes of DNA Replication
DNA helicase breaks the hydrogen bonds between the DNA
strands.
Topoisomerase alleviates positive supercoiling.
Primase synthesizes an RNA primer.
DNA polymerase III synthesizes a daughter strand of DNA.
Endonuclease cuts off the RNA primers and fills in with DNA
DNA ligase covalently links the Okazaki fragments together.
DNA replication proceeds in three
steps:
initiation
elongation
termination
Initiation
Replication starts at the origin of replication.
DNAhelicase breaks the hydrogen bonds
between base pairs.
Two replication forks are formed.
Topoisomerase alleviates positive
supercoiling.
The synthesis proceeds in both directions.
DNA polymerase builds new strand in
5'-3' direction.
DNA polymerase requires a primer.
Primers help to start replication.
Thesynthesis of primers occurs with
help of primase.
Elongation
DNA polymerase is responsible for elongation.
Synthesis of two strands of DNA occurs, one from
them is the leading strand and another is the lagging
strand.
The leading strand is very long continuous fragment.
A lagging strand is formed in a series of short
Okazaki fragments.
To
complete the synthesis of Okazaki fragments two
events must occur:
removal of the RNA primers,
synthesis
of DNA in the area where the primers
have been removed.
Primers are removed by endonuclease.
DNA ligase joins fragments.
Termination
DNA replication ends at the telomere
regions which are at both ends of
linear eukaryotic chromosomes.
RNA
RNA is made up
a nitrogen-containing base
a pentose sugar molecule called ribose
a phosphate group
N-base thymine is replaced by uracil
Types of RNA
m-RNA – messenger RNA
rRNA – ribosomal RNA
t-RNA – transfer RNA
Messenger RNA (m-RNA)
pre-m-RNA is composed of exons and
introns
mature m-RNA is composed of only exons
Ribosomal RNA (r-RNA)
In combination with r-RNA
ribosomal proteins forms the
ribosome
t-RNA
Clover Leaf
Model:
Acceptor arm
(connected with
aminoacid)
Anticodon arm
(complemantory
to codon of m-RNA)
Genetic code
helps to translate genetic information from a
nucleotide chain to a sequence of amino acids
The main features of genetic
code:
consists of triplets known as codons
degenerate
nonoverlapping
three
stop codons (nonsense codon):
UAA, UAG, and UGA
universal
Transcription
is the process of synthesis of molecule of
m-RNA from a DNA template
Three steps:
Initiation
Elongation
Termination
RNA polymerase catalyzes transcription
RNA processing and RNA splicing
pre-mRNA matures, the introns are removed
and the exons are connected
Translation
is the process of synthesis of
polypeptide from a mRNA template
Three steps:
Initiation
Elongation
Termination
Ribosome
two
subunits: large
small
A site (Aminoacyl site)
P site (Peptidyl site
E (exit) site
Regulation of gene expression
in prokaryotes
The model of the lac operon:
structural genes
operator
Promoter
regulatory gene
