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Deoxyribonucleic Acid: Human DNA Is Present in The Nucleus and Mitochonria Carry Genetic Information

Human DNA contains genetic information stored in two strands that wind around each other to form a double helix. Each strand acts as a template for DNA replication, which occurs semi-conservatively to produce two new DNA molecules, each with one original and one newly synthesized strand. The double helix unwinds and DNA polymerase adds complementary nucleotides to each template in the 5’ to 3’ direction, using RNA primers to initiate synthesis. This replicates the genome and transmits genetic information between generations.

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Prashant Dhakad
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55 views17 pages

Deoxyribonucleic Acid: Human DNA Is Present in The Nucleus and Mitochonria Carry Genetic Information

Human DNA contains genetic information stored in two strands that wind around each other to form a double helix. Each strand acts as a template for DNA replication, which occurs semi-conservatively to produce two new DNA molecules, each with one original and one newly synthesized strand. The double helix unwinds and DNA polymerase adds complementary nucleotides to each template in the 5’ to 3’ direction, using RNA primers to initiate synthesis. This replicates the genome and transmits genetic information between generations.

Uploaded by

Prashant Dhakad
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid)

Site: Human DNA is present in the nucleus and mitochonria

Function: carry genetic information.


Structure:

Human DNA consists of two strands of polydeoxyribonucleotides. The


nucleotides are arranged in chains linked together by 3'→5′
phosphodiester bond between C3′ of deoxyribose of one nucleotide and
OH of C5′ of the next one.

phosphodiester bond means one phosphate is linked to 2 sugars.


1
This is a tetranucleotide
GCTA

2
Each DNA strand has two ends; 5′ end ( the end with free phosphate
group attached to C5′ of the first pentose) and 3′ end ( the end with
free OH group on C3′ of the last pentose.

The nucleotides in the polynucleotide chain is always read from 5′


→ 3′ direction
This part of polynucleotide
is read ATC

3
Base pairing:
The two strands are linked together through hydrogen bonding
formed between purine bases in one strand with pyrimidine bases in
the other resulting in two types of base pairing:
- Adenine is always paired with thtmine by 2 hydrogen bonds (A=T)
- Guanine is always paired with cytosine by 3 H-bonds.
_

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So in the double stranded DNA:
1- The content of adenine equals to that of thymine and the content of
guanine is equal to that of cytosine
2- also, each strand must be complementary to the other i.e. each
base of one strand is matched by a complementary hydrogen bonding
base on the other strand.

5
DNA double helix:
The two strands of DNA wind arround
each other forming double helix which
stabilize DNA.
Also abundance of hydrogen bonds
between base help to stabilize DNA.

Watson and Crick model 6


7
Functions of DNA:
1- it is the storage site of genetic information.
2- DNA replication (reproduction): the stored information are
transmitted from parent DNA to daughter DNA during cell division
by a process called: replication.
3- transcription of mRNA for protein synthesis

DNA replication ( DNA synthesis):

DNAs have the ability to reproduce themselves by the process of


replication, thus ensuring the transfer of genetic information from
one generation to the next.

DNA synthesizes replicate of itself by using its own structure as a


template. Each strand of the double helix serves as a template for
constructing a complementary daughter strand. The resulting double
helix contains one parental and one daughter, and the mode of
replication is thus called: Semiconservative 8
Steps of DNA replication: occur in nucleus

1- Separation (unwinding) of double strands:


Unpairing (separation, unwinding) of the two strands of the DNA
double helix by: helicase enzyme with the formation of “replication
fork ”.
This separation is
necessary because
DNA polymerase III
enzyme that
responsible for
replication use only
one single stranded
DNA as a template.

9
This separation is maintained by a group of proteins includes:
1- Single stranded DNA-binding (SSB) proteins, also called: helix-
destabilizing proteins: these bind to only single stranded DNA and
keep two strands separated and prevent reformation of double helix.

2- DNA helicase: binds to single stranded DNA near the replication


fork and then moves into the neighboring double-stranded region
forcing the strands separation.

10
2- Direction of replication:

The enzyme responsible for replication is called: DNA polymerase


III which forms a complementary copy from DNA template.
DNA polymerase III read nucleotide sequence on DNA template
from 3′ → 5′ direction so the synthesized new DNA strand will be
antiparallel i.e in 5′ → 3′ direction. The 2 new strands grow in
opposite direction, one in 5′ → 3′ direction toward replication and
called “leading strand” which is synthesized continously. The other
strand synthesized also in 5′ → 3′ direction but away from replication
fork and called : “Lagging strand”.

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3-Starting synthesis of complementary strand by DNA
polymerase III:
This need RNA primer, because DNA polymerase III can’t join the
first two nucleotides to start the new strand, instead it adds the
nucleotides to the existing RNA primer.
RNA primer is a short segment of RNA (8-10 nucleotides with free
3' OH end) consisting of RNA bases complementary to DNA
sequence on the template.

Primase: is the enzyme responsible for synthesis of RNA primer.

Primase is of key importance in DNA replication because no known


DNA polymerases can initiate the synthesis of a DNA strand without
initial RNA primers.

When DNA polymerase III recognizes RNA primer. It begins to


synthesize new DNA strand using the 3' OH of RNA primer as the
acceptor of the first deoxyribonucleotide. 13
4- Removal of RNA primers
by DNA polymerase I:
When DNA polymerase III
finishes synthesis of new DNA
on lagging strand, RNA primers
are removed by DNA
polymerase I and the gap
produced is filled by DNA
synthesized by also DNA
polymerase I.

5- DNA ligase: Connect (ligase)


the newly synthesized DNA
(Oazaki fragments) together

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Notes:
1- Leading strand is synthesized continuously so need only one
RNA primer
2- Lagging strand is synthesized discontinuously so need many
RNA primers. The newly DNA fragments formed are called
Okazaki fragments
3- As a result of replication, 2 double stranded DNA is formed,
each of which contain one old and one new strand, This is called:
Semiconservative manner of replication.

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