Do now:

Write down all the words

you remember from year
10 and 11 genetics

By the end of the lesson you

should be able to:
Define nucleic acid and name the two kinds of nucleic
acids DNA and RNA
Draw a fully annotated diagram of a DNA molecule
showing: nucleotide monomers, deoxyribose sugar,
phosphate, 4 kinds of nitrogenous bases.
Describe complementary base pairing in DNA.
Describe what the genetic code is and state the function
of the code.
Draw a fully annotated diagram of mRNA molecule
showing nucleotide monomers, ribose sugar,
phosphate, 4 kinds of nitrogenous bases of mRNA

Gene expression
What does this mean?
- How the genetic information in our genes is used to
build proteins (except in the case of tRNA).
What is the purpose of these proteins?
- They determine every aspect of an organisms structure
and function

What do you know about genes?

Brainstorm everything you remember about genes from
year 10 and 11 science class.

How does it all fit together?

I am made up of trillions of cells,
- which have a central nucleus
- which contains and protects my genome
- which consists of 46 chromosomes
- which come in 23 homologous pairs
- which carry my genes
- which have different versions called alleles
- which are all made of DNA
- which carries the instructions to make me!

What is a chromosome?

DNA: Our Genetic code

Set of instructions

Initiating
& Maintaining

Life processes
Movement
Respiration
Sensitivity
Growth
Reproduction
Excretion
Nutrition

What is the structure of DNA?

DNA is formed into a structure called a ..
It is made of two individual DNA
strands twisted around each other
The two major features of a DNA
strand are its rungs and its backbone
DNA is a polymer made up of many
monomers joined together, known
as?

Nucleotide

Complementary base pairing

Complementary base pairing is when Adenine pairs with
Thymine and Cytosine with Guanine in DNA

A and T pair with each other in a double bond

C and G pair with each other in a triple bond
The bonding between the two bases are hydrogen bonds
which are strong enough to remain together but weak
enough to be easily unzipped by an enzyme (helicase), when
DNA replication or protein synthesis takes place.
DNA is complementary base paired because it is the genetic
code for an organism and needs to be conserved for cell

Pyrimidines
Purines
uracil
(U)

RNA vs DNA

mRNA is a nucleic acid like DNA, but with 3

main differences
RNA is a single stranded
molecule
DNA is double stranded molecule
RNA has a ribose sugar backbone
DNA has a deoxyribose sugar
backbone
In RNA the complementary base to
adenine (A) is uracil (U): A=U
In DNA the complementary base to
adenine (A) is thymine (T): A=T

ribose

deoxyribose

How does DNA carry the genetic

code?

T A C A T A C A T T G C C C T A A A T G G
A T G T A T G T A A C G G G A T T T A C C
The genetic code of DNA is written in the sequence of
its base pairs
Not all the sequences of a DNA strand contain genetic
information. The special sequences of DNA that carry
genetic information are called