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Nucleic Acids
Storage and
expression of
genetic
information.
Two chemically
distinct types of
nucleic acids:
A. Deoxyribonucleic
Acid (DNA)
B. Ribonucleic Acid
(RNA)
Kathryn Macy Ong, DMD
Deoxyribonucleic Acid
(DNA)
DNA Structure
A.3'5'-Phosphodiester bonds
Join the 3'-hydroxyl group of the deoxy pentose of one nucleotide
to the 5'-hydroxyl group an adjacent nucleotide through a
phosphate group
Result: Long unchained chain that is not attached to other
nucleotides
5'-end (end with the free phosphate)
3'-end (end with the free hydroxyl)
DNA Structure
B.Double
Helix
Axis of Symmetry
Outside : Hydrophilic deoxyribosephosphate
backbone
Inside: hydrophobic bases
(narrow) groove.
Provide access for the binding of regulatory
proteins to their specific recognition sequences
along the DNA chain
Narrow groove: Anticancer drugs exert cytotoxic
effect to interfere with DNA and RNA synthesis
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Chargaff Rule:
Amount of adenine equals the amount of thymine, the amount
of guanine equals the amount of cytosine
Total amount of purines equals the total amount of pyrimidines
Held together by hydrogen bonds :
Stabilization of the double helix
2 A and T
3 G and C
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B form
** Transitions between the B and Z helical forms of DNA plays a role in regulating gene
expression.
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DMD
C.Linear
Prokaryotes
Single, double-stranded, supercoiled, circular chromosome
Associated with non-histone proteins that can condense the DNA to
form a nucleoid.
Plasmids
Small, circular, extrachromosomal DNA molecules
Carries genetic information (ex. antibiotic resistance) and undergoes replication
Transcription
a.Ribosomal RNAs
b.Transfer RNAs
c.Messenger RNAs that are translated into sequences of amino
acids
d.Noncoding RNAs
.The three major types of RNA also differ from each other in size,
function, and special structural modifications
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RNA Structure
A.Ribosomal RNA
Found in association with several
the cell.
Ribozyme RNA with catalytic activity
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B.Transfer RNA
Smallest (4S) of the three major types of
RNA
Make up about 15% of the total RNA in
the cell
One specific type of tRNA molecule for
each of the common 20 amino acids
Contain a high percentage of unusual
bases and have extensive intrachain
base-pairing that leads to characteristic
secondary and tertiary structure.
Serves an adaptor molecule that
carries its specific amino acid to the site
of protein synthesis
Covalently attached to its 3'-end
Genetic code sequence on an mRNA is
recognized -- Specifying the addition of amino
acid to the growing peptide chain
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C.Messenger RNA
Comprises only about 5% of the RNA in the
cell,
Most heterogeneous type of RNA in size
and base sequence
Carry genetic information from the nuclear
DNA to the cytosol
Used as the template for protein synthesis. If the
Polycistronic mRNA carries information
from more than one gene
Monocistronic mRNA carries information
from just one gene
3'-ends
Special structural characteristics of
eukaryotic mRNA:
poly-A tail long sequence of adenine
nucleotides on the 3'-end
cap 5'-end consisting of a molecule of 7methylguanosine attached backward (5'5)
through a triphosphate linkage
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Genetic Code
Dictionary
the 3'-end.
The four nucleotide bases are used to produce the three-base
codons 64 different combinations of bases
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START Codon
AUG Methionine
Initiates translation
STOP Codons
UAG, UGA, and UAA
When one of these codons appears in an mRNA sequence, synthesis of the
polypeptide coded for by that mRNA stops
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polypeptide chain
2. Secondary structure
Polypeptide chains form sheets and coils
3. Tertiary structure
Sheets and coils pack into functional domains
4. Quaternary structure
Many proteins (e.g. enzymes) consist of two or more chains
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PRIMARY STRUCTURE
SECONDARY STRUCTURE
TERTIARY STRUCTURE
QUATERNARY
STRUCTURE
IMPORTANCE OF
STRUCTURES
Protein
Sometimes
a mutation in DNA
results in an amino acid substitution
that alters a proteins structure and
compromises its function
Example:
Hemoglobin
anemia
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and
sickle-cell
NORMAL HEMOGLOBIN
STRUCTURE
VALINEGLUTAMATE
DENATURATION OF
PROTEINS
Caused
by shifts in pH or
temperature, or exposure to
detergent or salts
Disrupts hydrogen bonds and other
References:
Lippincotts Illustrated Reviews: Biochemistry, 5th Ed.
Thomson Brooks/Cole, Biology, 8th Ed.
End