eukaryotes - complexity Flashcards
if we take the dna from any of our cells and stretch it end to end what would its length be
2 metres
what does the way that dna is tightly folded make it available for
enzymes in the cell when it is needed
replication, dna repair, use its genes to make proteins
what is the first structure in the packing of dna
chromatin - BEADS ON A STRING
1 bead is made up of
- 146 base pairs
- histone proteins
how many histone proteins does each nucleosome contain
HISTONE OCTOMER
- 2 copies of each of the 4 types of histones
- found at the centre of the nucleosome
what are the 4 core histones
H2A
H2B
H3
H4
what are the properties of histones
- rich in Lysine (Lys, K) and Arginine (Arg, R)
- SO POSITIVELY charged at physiological pH
how do the properties of a histone protein enable it to bind to dna
- histones positively charged at pH 7
- DNA negatively charged (phosphate group)
- so bind to form a DNA histone complex
what is the name for a DNA histone complex
NUCLEOSOME
what does a nucleosome consist of
- little less than 2 turns of double stranded DNA
- DNA is wrapped around an octamer core of histone proteins (8 histone proteins)
what do repeating nucleosome units appear as under a microscope
“beads on a string” like structure
what is the next level of packing of dna following nucleosomes
CHROMATIN STRUCTURE
what does a chromatin consist of
- string of nucleosome condensed to helical array consisting of 6 nucleosomes per turn of helix
- generates a chromatin
what is the diameter of a chromatin
36nm
where are chromatin structures found in the cell cycle
- in interface chromatin
- in mitotic chromosome
which 2 lesser understood stages follow chromatin fibres in dna compaction
- further condensation of chromatin
- entire mitotic chromosome (metaphase)
what do the lesser understood levels of organisation seem to involve
- series of loops and coils
- these lead to thicker structures
how is the final packing seen in the metaphase chromosome achieved
further condensation of the chromosome when the cell enters mitosis during cell division
list the 5 stages of dna packing
1) dna double helix
2) nucleosome (dna wrapped round histone octomer)
3) chromatin fibre
4) further condensation of chromatin
5) entire mitotic chromosome (metaphase)
list the 4 stages of the cell cycle
1) G1 phase
2) S phase
3) G2 phase
4) M phase
what happens in the G1 phase
- cell receives signal to divide
- increase in size
- metabolic activities change
- to prepare cell for S phase
how does the cell ensure it is prepared for the S phase (synthesis) during the G1 stage
cell cycle control mechanism activates at G1 checkpoint
when does the cell move into the S phase
- once the restriction point has been passed during G1 phase
- cell committed to division
what happens in S phase
- SYNTHESIS phase
- dna replication
- produces 2 identical sets of genetic information (2 sets of chromosomes)
what happens in the G2 phase
- cell produces new proteins necessary for the M phase stage
what occurs again in the G2 phase which is also seen in G1
- cell cycle control mechanism at G2 checkpoint
- determines if cell can move to M phase
what happens during the M phase
- MITOSIS phase
- 2 identical daughter cells produced
what is the final stage of the M phase and what is it characterised by
- cytokinesis
- nuclear adhesion followed by cell division
what is dna replication
process of duplication of the entire genome prior to cell division
biological significance of dna replication:
why is extreme accuracy necessary
to reserve the integrity of the genome in successive generations
biological significance of dna replication:
what does the slower replication rate in eukaryotes result in
higher fidelity / accuracy of replication
what is the structure of dna in prokaryotic cells
- circular chromosome containing a single origin of replication
- generates 1 replication bubble with 2 replication forks
what does the structure of eukaryotic chromosomes suggest about their replication
- larger, more complex packing
- must be replicated from many points
- so have multiple origins of replication which initiate replication almost simultaneously
when dna does replication begin in eukaryotes
when initiator protein dna complexes are formed at specific dna sequences in the replication origins
how does the initiator protein dna complex start the process of replication
1) loads dna helicase onto the dna template
2) because they identify specific base on origin of replication
2) forming 2 replication forks at each origin of replication
how is the whole replicated strand formed
- forks extend in both directions as replication proceeds
- creates a replication bubble
- replication bubbles eventually all meet
how is the mechanism of replication in eukaryotes essentially the same as for prokaryotes
- replication starts once replication forks are established from the origin of replication
- both leading (continuous synthesis) and lagging strands (discontinuous)
- synthesised in 5’ to 3’ direction
- same machinery and proteins and enzymes
what is the role of dna polymerase in eukaryotic dna replication
adds nucleotides (complementary to template strand) one by one to the growing dna chain
how many dna polymerases are known in eukaryotes and which 5 have major roles during replication and have been well studied
14
- polymerase alpha
- polymerase beta
- polymerase gamma
- polymerase delta
- polymerase epsilon
what is the end problem of linear dna replication
- because dna linear
- problem with replicating the ends of the chromosomes (telomeres)
- dna polymerase can
1) only add nucleotides in 5’ to 3’ direction
2) cannot initiate synthesis of dna
3) can only extend dna with 3’ -OH available
in eukaryotic replication what happens in the leading strand
1) synthesis continues until the end of the chromosome is reached
2) so whole leading strand replicated
in eukaryotic replication what happens in the lagging strand
1) dna synthesised in a short stress
2) each of which is initiated by a separate primer
3) when replication fork reaches end of the linear chromosome
4) last primers are removed by 3’ to 5’ exonuclease activity of dna polymerase
5) there is NO way to replace the primer on the 5’ end
6) so dna at 5’ end of the chromosome remains unpaired