Introduction to

Molecular Biology
Fundamental Molecular
Biology

Historical Background
Classical Experiments
Structure of nucleotides &
DNA

What is Molecular Biology?

Study of biological events at a molecular level
The study of genes and gene activity at the
molecular level

DNA History
Discovered in 1869 by Friedrich Miescher as a
component of nuclein
By late 19th C. DNA & RNA are known to be
polymers
The function of these nucleic acids was not known

Early 20th C. Mendels genetics were

rediscovered
The concept of a gene entered biology
The question was What makes up genes?
Three possibilities: DNA, RNA, or Proteins

Three sets of researchers provided the data that

once and for all settled the question
1928: Fredrick Griffith experimented on
transformation
1944: Oswald Avery, Colin MacLeod, & Maclyn
McCarty repeated Griffiths experiments, but added
further biochemical tests
1952: A.D. Hershey & Martha Chase performed their
experiment with bacteriophage

Griffiths Transformation
Experiment

Avery et al. repeated the experiment, but looked at

each class of molecules to see their potential to
transform

Hershey Chase
Experiment

Erwin Chargaffs Data

Allison, Fundamental Molecular Biology

Chargaffs Rules
How is information encoded within DNA
Erwin Chargaff found that: [purine] = [pyrimidine]
[Adenine] = [Thymidine]
[Cytosine] = [Guanine]

DNA
Structure

DNA X-Ray Diffraction

Pattern

Created By Rosiland
Franklin
Karp, Cell& Molecular Biology, 3E

Watson & Crick Model of DNA Double

Helix

http://salmon.psy.plym.ac.uk/year3/PSY339EvolutionaryPsychologyroots/watson-crick-dna.jpg

How does a helix of

uniform pattern store
information?

Nucleotide
Structure

Sugar
s

Nitrogenous
Bases

Phosphat
es

Glycosidic
Bond

Base + Sugar = NUCLEOSIDE

Base + Sugar + Phosphate =

NUCLEOTIDE

Essential Cell Biology, 2/e

Phosphodiester
Linkage

Allison, Fundamental Molecular Biology

DNA
Structure

Watson-Crick Model of DNA

Two chains of nucleotides form a right-handed helix
Chains run in opposite directions
Sugar-phosphate backbone is on the outside of the
chains
The paired bases are in planes nearly perpendicular
to the long axis of the molecule (Base Stacking)
Hydrophobic interactions/Van Der Waal forces
stabilize
The two strands are held together by hydrogen
bonds

1.09
nm
0.34 nm

0.27 nm

0.6 nm

0.34 nm

Allison, Fundamental Molecular Biology

Allison, Fundamental Molecular Biology

2.0 nm

3.4 nm
0.34 nm

-6 Tilt
34.3 Twist

http://www.web.virginia.edu/Heidi/chapter12/chp12.htm

3 Forms of
DNA

2.4nm per turn 3.4nm per turn 4.6nm per turn

11bp per turn

10.5bp per turn 12bp per turn

http://members.tripod.com/arnold_dion/RecDNA/Fig1-2.gif

http://chemistry.umeche.maine.edu/CHY431/Nucleic5.html

If the DNA is wound so that there are fewer bases

per turn <9 bp, it is overwound creating positive
supercoiling
The angle of twist increases from 34.3 to 37.7
If there are more bases per turn >11 bp, it is
underwound creating negative supercoiling
The angle of twist decreases from 34.3 to 30.9
30.9
<

>37.7

34.3

Essential Cell Biology, 2/e

E. coli genome negatively

supercoiled

http://www.cbs.dtu.dk/staff/dave/roanoke/genetics980213a.html

11.1

10.8

Allison, Fundamental Molecular Biology