BIOLOGY
INVESTIGATORY
PROJECT ON
DNA MODEL
acknowledgement
I have taken efforts in this
project. However, it would not have been
possible without the kind support and help of
many individuals. I would like to thank my
principle Mr.P.V Sasidharan and school for
providing me with facilities required to do my
project.
I am highly indebted to my
biology teacher Mr. Vineeth sir for her
invaluable guidance which has sustained my
efforts in all the stages of this project work.
I would also like to thank my
parents for their continuous support and
encouragement.
introduction
James Watson and Francis crick
proposed a "model" for DNA (deoxyribo nucleic
acid) molecule in 1953 (Lewin, 2000). They were
awarded the Nobel prize in 1962 for this work.
According to this model a DNA has a double
helical structure It was supported Wilkins in his X-
ray analysis.
Watson and Crick used wire and thin
pieces of metal cut in the shape of the nucleotide
bases to make a DNA model. This DNA model was
like a ladder. The model has two upright strands
held in position by steps. Each strand was made
up of sugar phosphate backbone and the steps
were made up of a pair of nitrogen bases. Watson
and Crick compared this DNA model with the
photograph which Wilkins got by X-ray analysis
Watson and Crick twisted this DNA model as
shown in figure.
MATERIALS AND
METHODS
According to the number and shape, cut pieces of
tin of suitable size from the thin tin sheet as given
below.
13 pieces of adenine (A)
13 pieces of thymine (T)
9 pieces of guanine (G)
9 pieces of cytosine (C)
44 pieces of deoxyribose (S)
44 pieces of phosphate (P)
PROCEDURE
At first the respective words
indicated were marked on cut pieces. Made
holes in the places of the position as shown in
the diagram. 22 pieces representing sugar
and 22 pieces representing phosphate were
alternately placed in a chain with the help of
thick wire. One of the nitrogen bases (adenine
or thymine or guanine or cytosine) was
tagged with pointed end hole of the sugar
with the help of wire.
Similarly, another chain of tin
pieces was prepared. The adenine tin piece
against the thymine piece and the cytosine
against the guanine piece and vice versa on
both complimentary strands were placed.
Now the two strands were joined by placing
wire between the holes of nitrogen bases on
the two strands. Two wires adjoined between
adenine and thymine and three wire adjoined
between cytosine and guanine. As a result,
we got a ladder-like structure. Placed this
structure around a vertical rod of the wire
stand which acts as an axis. Then it was coiled
in a right handed helix so that it appeared as a
spiral staircase around the central axis. The
upper and lower ends of the strands were
then fixed. Now the model of DNA was ready
for display.
OBSERVATION AND
RESULTs
The double helix model of DNA as Watson
and Crick model was observed.
DISCUSSION AND
Conclusion
DNA is the genetic material of all
organisms except plant viruses (Verma & Agarwal,
1998). It is found in nucleus, mitochondria and
chloroplast DNA contains all the information for
the development and existence of an organism.
The functional unit of DNA is the
gene. Gene is the hereditary unit of an organism.
The structural units of DNA are nucleotides. Each
nucleotide has a nitrogen base, a pentose sugar
and a phosphate. The nitrogen bases are adenine,
guanine, thymine and cytosine.
The prepared DNA model helped us
to study the structure of a DNA molecule.
REFERENCES
1.Benjam in Lewin, 2000, Genes VII. Oxford
University Press, New York, 990 pp
2.Eldon John Gardner, Michael. J. Simmons & Peter
Saustard. D., 19 9 4, Principles of Genetics, John
Wiley & Sons, New York, 6 49 pp.
3.Verma.P.S. & Agarwal. P.K., 199 8, Genetic. S.
Chand and Company Ltd..
