DNA

Desoxyribonucleic Acid

Or as  we shall call it…  

Our individual  constitution.
DNA  is…  a  set  of  instructions
•Information
•Replication
•Transmission
•Variation
INFORMATION
 INFORMATION
DNA  is…  an
organized cluster
• Strands
• Double Helix
• Chromosomes
• Genome
 INFORMATION
DNA  has…  a  direction
• Nucleotides are  attached
together by covalent bonds
• Sugar and  Phosphate are  
the backbone
• Bases  project from the
backbone
• Direction:  5’  to  3’
• 5’  =>  Phosphate
• 3’  =>  OH
 INFORMATION
DNA  is…  complementary

• C  matches  G
• A  matches  T

If  one  DNA  strand  is  

5ʹ′–GATTCGTTC–3ʹ′,  
what  is  the  
complementary  
strand?
 INFORMATION
Exercise:  Name the complementary strand

5’-­‐ ATTCGCCGTA-­‐3’
5’-­‐ TACGGCGAAT-­‐3’ 5’-­‐ TACGGCGAAT-­‐3’

5’-­‐ GCCTAATCAA-­‐3’
5’-­‐ TTGATTAGGC-­‐3’ 5’-­‐ TTGATTAGGC-­‐3’

5’-­‐ATACGGCTACC-­‐3’
5’-­‐ GGTAGCCGTAT-­‐3’ 5’-­‐ GGTAGCCGTAT-­‐3’
 INFORMATION
DNA  is…  complementary
• Bases  are  bonded in  DNA  double
helix by HYDROGEN  BONDS
• GC  pair has  an stronger
attachment than AT  bond,  due to  
the ammount of  hydrogen bonds
among them.
 INFORMATION
DNA  is…  complementary
• Considering 100%  as  the total  bases in  a  DNA  double
strand…  which amounts should be  equal?

5’-­‐ ATTCGCCGTC-­‐3’
5’-­‐GACGGCGAAT-­‐3’ 5’-­‐ GCCTAATCAA-­‐3’
5’-­‐ TTGATTAGGC-­‐3’
Total  Bases:  20 Total  Bases:  20
• Amount of  A:  4  (20%) • Amount of  A:  6  (30%)
• Amount of  T:  4  (20%) • Amount of  T:  6  (30%)
• Amount of  C:  6  (30%) • Amount of  C:  4  (20%)
• Amount of  G:  6  (30%) • Amount of  G:  4  (20%)
 REPLICATION
DNA…  replicates

• DNA  is open  at  a  point

called Origin of  
Replication
• The opened zone is
called the Replication
Fork
 REPLICATION
DNA…  replicates

• Two new  strands are  

forming by reading the
templates
• Both cointain the same
information as  the
parent strand.
 REPLICATION
DNA…  replicates
• A  machine  made by enzymes
participates in  this process
• The most important ones are:
1. Helicase
2. DNA  Polymerase
 TRANSMISION
What is a  gene?
• Unit of  heredity
• Specific segment of  double
strand DNA  
• Codifies for a  functional
protein (enzyme)
• Traits are  usually under
influence of  multiple genes
 TRANSMISION
Parts of  a  gene

Terminator
Promoter
Regulatory
Sequence Transcribed Region