DNA

Structure and Function

 10.2 DNA and RNA are polymers of nucleotides

– The monomer unit of DNA and RNA is

the nucleotide, containing a:
– Nitrogenous base
– 5-carbon sugar
– Phosphate group

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 Nitrogenous base
(A, G, C, or T)
Phosphate
group

Thymine (T)

Sugar
(deoxyribose)
Thymine (T) Cytosine (C) Adenine (A) Guanine (G)
Pyrimidines Purines
 – DNA and RNA are polymers called
polynucleotides
– A sugar-phosphate backbone is formed by
covalent bonding between the phosphate of
one nucleotide and the sugar of the next
nucleotide
– Nitrogenous bases extend from the sugar-
phosphate backbone

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 Sugar-phosphate backbone

Phosphate group
Nitrogenous base
Sugar

Nitrogenous base
(A, G, C, or T)
DNA nucleotide Phosphate
group

Thymine (T)

Sugar
(deoxyribose)

DNA nucleotide

DNA polynucleotide
 10.3 DNA is a double-stranded helix

– James D. Watson and Francis Crick

deduced the secondary structure of
DNA, with X-ray crystallography data
from Rosalind Franklin and Maurice
Wilkins
– Question: Purines are doubled-ringed
and include cytosine and guanine.

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 – DNA is composed of two polynucleotide chains
joined together by hydrogen bonding between
bases, twisted into a helical shape
– The sugar-phosphate backbone is on the outside
– The nitrogenous bases are perpendicular to the
backbone in the interior
– Specific pairs of bases give the helix a uniform
shape
– A pairs with T, forming two hydrogen bonds
– G pairs with C, forming three hydrogen bonds

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 Hydrogen bond

Base
pair

Ribbon model Partial chemical structure Computer model

 DNA Replication
– DNA replication follows a
semiconservative model
– The two DNA strands separate
– Each strand is used as a pattern to
produce a complementary strand, using
specific base pairing
– Each new DNA helix has one old strand
with one new strand

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 Nucleotides

Parental Both parental Two identical

molecule strands serve daughter
of DNA as templates molecules of DNA
Steps of Replication and Repair
• 1) Helicases break H-bonds; unzip the
helix
• 2) DNA polymerases synthesize the new
strands.
 Steps of Replication and Repair
(continued)
• 3) Synthesis is continuous in the 5’ to 3’
direction (leading strand).
Synthesis is discontinuous in the 3’ to 5’
directions (lagging strand).
The lagging strand is synthesized in
fragments in the 5’ to 3’ direction (Okazaki
fragments)
 DNA polymerase
molecule 3
5
Daughter strand
Parental DNA synthesized
5
3
continuously
Daughter
3
strand
5
synthesized
in pieces

5
3

DNA ligase

Overall direction of replication

 Steps of Replication and Repair
(continued)
• 4) DNA ligases seal the backbone (sugar-
P bonds)
• 5) Strands are proofread by DNA
polymerase and are constantly monitored
by other enzymes.
Replicate the following strand of
DNA:
• AATACGCGAACGTATACGGACCTTGA

• Did you write?:

• TTATGCGCTTGCATATGCCTGGAACT

• Why do cells have to replicate their DNA?

 Self-Quiz
• Each DNA strand has a backbone that
consists of alternating
• A. Purines and pyrimidines
• B. Nitrogen-containing bases
• C. Hydrogen bonds
• D. Sugar and phosphate molecules
 Self-Quiz
• In DNA, complementary base pairing
occurs between
• A. Cytosine and uracil
• B. Adenine and guanine
• C. Adenine and uracil
• D. Adenine and thymine
 Self-Quiz
Adenine and guanine are
• A. Double-ringed purines
• B. Single-ringed purines
• C. Double-ringed pyrimidines
• D. Single-ringed pyrimidines
 Self-Quiz
• DNA replication is continuous in the 5’ to
3’ direction.
– True
– False
 Self-Quiz
• Which enzyme is responsible for
synthesizing the new DNA strands by
adding nucleotides to the old strands?
• A. Helicase
• B. Topisomerase
• C. DNA Polymerase
• D. RNA primase
 DNA Models Key
• Orange tube=adenine
• Yellow tube=guanine
• Green tube=thymine
• Blue tube=cytosine
• White tube=phosphate group
• Black pentoses=deoxyribose
• White rods=hydrogen bonds