Module 2-1 Flashcards
Give the central dogma.
DNA–>[Transcription]–>RNA–>[Translation]–>Protein
What were possible genetic materials pre 1940’s?
Proteins and nucleic acids
- Proteins were leading contender
- -believed 4 nucleotides were too simple to be genetic material
- -20 amino acids were more probable due to potential variation
Describe the work done by Frederick Griffith (1927)
He analyzed virulence of various strains of Diplococcus pneumoniae
-Some strains caused pneumonia in humans and mice (virulent) and some did not (avirulent)
What caused the virulence of Diplococcus pneumoniae?
a polysaccharide capsule of bacterium
What were the characteristics of a virulent colony?
Had a capsule and were smooth, and shiny (s)
What were the characteristics of an avirulent colony?
Did not have capsules and were rough (r)
What was Griffith’s experiment referred to?
Transforming principle
True or false? There were many serotypes of rough and smooth colonies?
True. There were type I, type II, and type II
Which serotypes did he use?
II and III of rough and smooth strains (IIR and IIIS)
What are cell capsules and walls built by in the different serotypes?
Proteins and carbohydrates
True or false? Each type can switch from smooth to rough but not to a different serotype?
True
What happened if a mouse was injected with living IIIS (virulent)?
it died
What happened if a mouse was injected with living IIR (avirulent)?
it lived
What happened if a mouse was injected with heat-killed IIIS?
it lived
What was the critical experiment?
He injected heat-killed virulent IIIS bacteria and living avirulent IIR bacteria into a mouse and it DIED and living IIIS were recovered
What was Griffith’s conclusion about the fact that the mice died?
The heat-killed bacteria were transforming the live avirulent IIR bacteria into virulent IIIS bacteria
*Suggested the transforming principle might be something in the capsule
What did further transformation studies find?
that transformation could happen in vitro and that soluble filtrate of heat-killed S cells was sufficient to cause transformation
*suggested a chemical substance was responsible for transformation phenomena
What did the experiments of Avery, McLeod, and McCarty conclude?
That DNA was the transforming molecule
Describe how the Avery, McLeod, and McCarty experiment was set up?
IIIS cells were centrifuged and IIIS cells were spun to the bottom of the tube and were heat killed. These were homogenized and the IIIS filtrate was recovered and the Carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins were extracted. These were put into IIR cells and different enzymes were added.
What happened when Protease was added?
the proteins were degraded and the transformation occurred
What happened when RNase was added?
the RNA was degraded and the transformation occurred
What happened when deoxyribonuclease was added?
DNA was degraded and the transformation DID NOT occur, meaning DNA must be the transforming material