Lec 18 Flashcards
What is the first way to analyze DNA?
Absorption of Nucleic Acid
- Strong absorption at 260nm (where it minimally absorbs)
- UV interacts with rings of bases
What is the second way to analyze DNA
Gradient Centrifugation (put stuff in tube in spin it, big things to the bottom)
1) Velocity Centrifugation
- measures speed of centrifugation
- measured svedberg units (S)
- in general, greater mass results in greater speed, but also depends on shape
2) Density Gradient Centrifugation (CsCl gradient)
- Also called quilibrium centrifugation because molecules migrate until they reach a point of neutral density (called isopycnic point)
- GC-rich DNA is more dense than AT-rich DNA
- The %GC is directly proportional to the buoyant density of the DNA
isopycnic point
in the density gradient centrifugation, the isopycnic point is when the molecules migrate until they reach a point of neutral density
Gel electrophoresis
- Used to separate DNA fragments
- Fragments migrate from negative to positive
- smaller pieces move further than larger pieces
- Migration distance is inversely proportional to the log (DNA fragment size)
What does it mean when you denature DNA?
means breaking the hydrogen bonds and causing the two stand to sepearate
Denaturation Studies
- strand separation (heat or chemical induced)
- Hyperchromic effect
- observe melting profile
- Tm is the temperature at which 50% of the DNA is denatured
- The Tm is the inflection point on the graph
- High GC content results in high Tm
- Tm= MIDPOINT OF THERMAL DENATURATION
Hyperchromic effect
an increase in UV absorption due to denaturation
Relationship between Tm and %GC
Tm=69+(.41)(%GC)
Cot1/2
point at which 1/2 of the DNA is dsDNA
Complexity
length of all unique fragments laid end to end (in bp)
Classification of repetitive DNA (3 classes)
Highly repetitive= more than 100,000 copies usually short sequences
Moderately Repetitive= 10-100,000 copies
Unique= Single Copy
Chromatin
the complex of DNA, chromosomal proteins and RNA within the nucleus
Euchromatin
lighter staining parts of the chromosome during interphase
- actively transcribed genes
- condenses and relaxes (stretches out)
- condenses and decondenses in cell cycle
- most of transcribed region is in euchromatin
Heterochromatin
darker staining parts of the chromosome
- fewer genes
- remains condensed in interphase
- includes regions in the centromeres and telomeres
- generally not transcribed
- usually not involved in crossing over
- replicates late in S PHASE
Constitutive heterochromatin
always heterochromatin
Facultative hetrochromatin
may be euchromatic sometimes
EX: X chromosomes that is Barr Body
Function of Unique DNA
- thought to contain mostly structural and regulatory genes and is usually transcribed.
- Codes for most proteins and enzymes in organism.
- Found in euchromatic regions of chromosome. Comprises 30%-80% of eukaryotic genome
Function of Moderately repetitive DNA
is found in euchromatic regions of chromosome and code for some ribosomal RNAs and other genes where lots of gene product is needed quickly.
May also pay a role in chromosome structure and contain sites where proteins can bind to DNA for gene.
5-80% of genome.
Includes transposable elements
Function of Highly repetitive DNA
is primarily found in heterochromatic regions of the chromosome. Rarely transcribed and function is not known
TMV- Tobacco Mosaic Virus
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