Cell and DNA replication Flashcards
2 significant findings of Chargaff’s work
- Within a species, the amount of adenine equals the amount of thymine, and the amount of guanine equals the amount of cytosine.
- The composition of DNA varies between species
Griffiths experimental conclusion
The information that determines a bacteria’s strain and virulence must be encoded in a nonliving chemical, as this information can be transferred from dead to living bacteria: a chemical substance is the bearer of genetic information
Avery’s conclusion
DNA is the chemical substance that acts as genetic material
main components of DNA
- The DNA has a double stranded helical structure.
- The sugar phosphate backbone is on the outside.
- The bases are on the inside.
- Stabilised by hydrogen bonds
bonds between nucleotide monomers and between strands
phosphodiester bond, hydrogen bonds
Formation of the phosphodiester bond
The hydroxyl group (OH) on the 3rd carbon of one nucleus reacts with the phosphate group attached to the 5th carbon on another nucleotide
features of prokayrotic DNA replication
- single circular chromosome
- bidirectional
- single origin of replication
semi-conservative replication
Each DNA strand of the double helix is used as a template strand for the synthesis of two new strands
direction of DNA synthesis
DNA or RNA is always synthesised in 5 to 3 direction (therefore parental template strands are run in 3 to 5 direction)
molecules needed for DNA replication
- primase
- DNA polymerase III
- helicase
- topoisomerase
- DNA polymerase I
- DNA ligase
function of primase
Enzyme (RNA polymerase) that makes an RNA primer = starting point for DNA polymerisation
function of DNA polymerase III
Progressive addition of new nucleotides (A, C, T or G)
function of DNA polymerase I
removes RNA primers (RNase H) and fills the gap between okazaki fragments with DNA nucleotides (DNA polymerase)
function of DNA ligase
joins newly synthesised Okazaki fragments together (creates phosphodiester bonds)
function of helicase
Release tension generated by unwinding the DNA helix
major differences between eukaryotic and prokaryotic DNA replication
- Multiple large linear (vs single small circular) chromosomes
- Multiple (vs single) origin of replication (ori)
2 types of DNA error repair
exonuclease (during replication) and endonuclease (after replication)
features of exonuclease repair (during replication)
- DNA pol III has a proof-reading mechanism - checks newly inserted nucleotide bases against the template.
- These types of incorrect bases are removed by a 3’ to 5’ exonuclease activity of DNA pol III
features of endonuclease repair (after replication)
- damaged region is removed by endonuclease.
- DNA pol makes new DNA. DNA ligase joins DNA to existing DNA
cause of error during replication
DNA pol III makes very few mistakes - high fidelity
causes of error after replication
- Incorrectly inserted bases are not corrected by DNA pol III.
- Radiation damage (e.g. UV).
- Chemical modifications of bases (natural and chemical causes)
importance of correcting DNA errors
if not corrected, DNA becomes part of DNA template which causes permanent DNA change and mutation
features of polymerase chain reaction
- In vitro method of making multiple DNA copies.
- Only ‘targeted’ DNA region will be copied.
- Rapid exponential increase of DNA molecules.
- Method utilises cycles of heating and cooling
PCR components
- DNA template
- primers
- heat stable DNA polymerase
- dNTPs (deoxynuclotide triphosphates = free nucleotides)
- Buffer solution
- Divalent cations (Mg2+)
Process of PCR
- Denaturation - double stranded DNA is denatured by heat into single strands; takes place at 94-98 degrees.
- Annealing - primers anneal (bind) to DNA template strand and provide OH group to start forming phosphodiester bonds; takes place at 45-70 degrees C.
- Extension/Elongation - DNA polymerase adds free nucleotides (dNTP’s); takes place at 72 degrees C
function of primer in PCR
Provides a free ‘3 OH group, the chemical group that is essential to initiate DNA synthesis. Defines the region of the DNA molecule to be replicated
function of heat stable DNA polymerase in PCR
Enzyme which adds nucleotides, (complementary to the DNA template), and joins them together forming a phosphodiester bond (e.g. Taq DNA polymerase but there are many others)
function or divalent cations in PCR
act as cofactors - essential for DNA pol to work
central dogma of molecular biology
the coded genetic information in DNA can be transcribed into transportable molecules (mRNA) and these contain the programme for synthesis of a particular protein
gene expression
process by which information from a gene is used in the synthesis of a functional gene product
process of transcription
- catalysed by RNA polymerase.
- RNA polymerase synthesises mRNA by catalysing the formation of covalent phosphodiester bonds between ribonucleotides.
- RNA polymerase selects the correct nucleotides to be incorporated with the mRNA based on the sequence of DNA that is being transcribed.
- mRNA is made from template strand.
what is a gene
defined region (sequence) of DNA that produces a diffusible product (RNA)that has some function