DNA

WHAT ARE NUCLEIC ACIDS?

 are the building blocks of living
organisms.
 are molecules that allow organisms to
transfer genetic information from one
generation to the next.
 a complex organic substance present
in living cells, especially DNA or
RNA, whose molecules consist of
many nucleotides linked in a long
chain.
 What are the two types
of nucleic acids?
DNA VS RNA
 DNA vs. RNA
STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION
DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACID
Nucleus - a molecule that
contains the
instructions an
Chromosomes organism needs to
develop, live and
reproduce.
Genes
- These instructions
are found inside
every cell, and are
Segments of
DNA
passed down from
parents to their
children.
DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACID
Nucleus Portions of DNA are
called genes.

DNA is tightly wound into

Chromosomes chromosomes and
located in the nucleus of
cells.

Genes DNA is DOUBLE

STRANDED(2 sides)

Contains the Code for

Segments of
DNA ALL the Proteins in the
Body
RIBONUCLEIC ACID
RNA is SINGLE STRANDED and
does not have to stay in the
nucleus!

RNA is not found in chromosomes

because it does not carry the
genetic code, however it can read
the DNA code and take the
information out of the nucleus.

RNA’s main job is to build

proteins!
DNA STRUCTURE
 The building blocks of DNA are
called Nucleotides.

 One nucleotide is made of 3

important things:
1. Deoxyribose
2. Phosphate
3. Nitrogen base
there are 4 nitrogen bases in
DNA: Adenine, Guanine,
Cytosine, and Thymine that
pair together)

AT C G
RNA STRUCTURE
 Thebuilding blocks of RNA are
Nucleotides, just like DNA.

A Nucleotide in RNA is still made of

3 important things:
1. Ribose (instead of Deoxyribose)
2. Phosphate
3. Nitrogen base
there are 4 nitrogen bases in RNA,
A,G,C, and U that pair together)

AU C G
DNA RNA
 DNA VS RNA
 What are the differences between
DNA and RNA
 DNA – Double Helix, RNA – Single
Stranded
 DNA --- A-T, RNA ---A-U
 DNA ---Deoxyribose Sugar, RNA---
Ribose
 What is a similarity of DNA and
RNA?
 G binds with C in both DNA and RNA
 Both have sugar and phosphate
backbone
Both DNA and RNA:
a. are single stranded
b. contain the same four nitrogenous
bases
c. have the same five carbon sugars
d. contain phosphate groups
 Practice
 On your paper, complete the missing DNA
strand by adding the complementary bases.
ATCGTTGCCATC

 Make the complementary RNA strand for

the single strand of DNA below:
AATCATCACGTT
 THREE MAIN TYPES OF RNA
1. Messenger RNA (mRNA) - Carries copies of
instructions for the assembly of amino acids into
proteins from DNA to the rest of the cell (serve as
“messenger”)
 THREE MAIN TYPES OF RNA

2.Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) – Makes up the major part

of ribosomes, which is where proteins are made. It
holds tightly into the mRNA using its information to
assemble the amino acids in correct order.

Ribosomal
RNA
 THREE MAIN TYPES OF RNA
3. Transfer RNA (tRNA) - Transfers amino
acids to ribosomes during protein synthesis
A segment of DNA has one strand
with the following sequence of bases:
AGC GCA TAG CAA
The complimentary strand of RNA
would be

a. UCG CGU AUC GUU

b. TCG CGT ATC GTT
c. AGC GCA UAG CAA
d. CTA TAC GCT ACC
PROTEIN SYNTHESIS

The Protein-making Process

 Protein Synthesis
Proteins make up all living materials. It controls the
activities of the cell as well as the life of the entire
organism.
 PROTEINS
 Proteins are made up of a chain of amino acids.
 Proteins are enzymes, which catalyze and regulate
chemical reactions.
• Proteins are composed of amino acids – there are 20
different amino acids
• Different proteins are made by combining these 20
amino acids in different combinations
• Proteins are manufactured (made) by the ribosomes
•Function of proteins:
1. Help fight disease
2. Build new body tissue
3. Enzymes used for digestion and other chemical
reactions are proteins
(Enzymes speed up the rate of a reaction)
4. Component of all cell membranes
MAKING PROTEINS
Step 1: Transcription
Making a Protein—Transcription
• First Step: Copying of genetic information from DNA to RNA
called Transcription
Why? DNA has the genetic code for the protein that needs to be
made, but proteins are made by the ribosomes—ribosomes are
outside the nucleus in the cytoplasm.
DNA is too large to leave the nucleus (double stranded), but RNA
can leave the nucleus (single stranded).
• Part of DNA temporarily unzips and is used as a
template to assemble complementary nucleotides
into messenger RNA (mRNA).
• mRNA then goes through the pores of the nucleus with
the DNA code and attaches to the ribosome.
MAKING PROTEINS
Step 2: Translation
Making a Protein—Translation
• Second Step: Decoding of mRNA into a protein is called
Translation.
• Transfer RNA (tRNA) carries amino acids from the
cytoplasm to the ribosome.
These amino acids come from the food we eat. Proteins
we eat are broken down into individual amino acids and
then simply rearranged into new proteins according to the
needs and directions of our DNA.
•A series of three adjacent bases
in an mRNA molecule codes for
a specific amino acid—called a
codon.

•Each tRNA has 3 nucleotides Amino acid

that are complementary to the
codon in mRNA.

•Each tRNA codes for a different

amino acid.
Anticodon
• mRNA carrying the DNA instructions and tRNA carrying
amino acids meet in the ribosomes.
• Amino acids are joined together to make a protein.

Polypeptide = Protein
Use one of the codon charts on the next page to find the amino acid
sequence coded for by the following mRNA strands.

CAC/CCA/UGG/UGA

___________/___________/___________/____________

AUG/AAC/GAC/UAA

___________/___________/___________/____________
 CAC/CCA/UGG/UGA
___________/___________/___________/____________
2nd Base
1st Base

3rd Base
2 STEPS TO MAKE A PROTEIN
1. Transcription
 DNA → RNA
2. Translation
 RNA → Protein (Chain of
amino acids)
 When transcription needs to take place, DNA
must provide the code in order to create an
mRNA strand.

 mRNA will be able to leave the nucleus and now

it has the code transcribed inside it’s base pairs!

Practice:
DNA strand: TTA ACG GGT CTA
Matching DNA strand: AAT TGC CCA GAT
mRNA: UUA ACG GGU CUA