DNA Structure and

Replication
Mrs. Gamari
Oswald and Avery cont’d
Oswald and Avery
Experimental Evidence
Nucleic Acids
 Compounds that contain phosphate and
nitrogen in addition to carbon, hydrogen,
and oxygen.

 Examples of nucleic acids:

 DNA
 RNA
 DNA’s shape is often referred to
as a “double helix”
 1.8 meters of DNA must fit into the nucleus of
human cells.

 Since cells are so small, and the nucleus even

moreso, the DNA must curl up and coil to fit into
such a small space.
 Think about curly hair vs. straight hair… when you pull at the
piece of hair, it becomes straight and longer. When
released, the piece of hair appears to get shorter when it
curls up, taking up less space.
Structure of DNA
 Long chain of repeating units called nucleotides.

 A nucleotide has 3 main parts:

 5-carbon sugar
 Deoxyribose (DNA) or ribose sugar (RNA)
 Phosphate group
 Nitrogenouse base
 A, C, G, T/U
A Nucleotide

Science Aid: DNA Structure and Replication

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DNA
 DNA is double-stranded and its shape
resembles a ladder.

 The sides of the ladder are made up of

repeating sugar and phosphate groups.

 The rungs of the ladder are made of 2 bases

bonded together by hydrogen bonds.
 The DNA molecule needs to coil and fold-
up so that it can fit into the small nucleus.

The Ladder The Double

Helix

Latest from the Labs: Cells and DNA

info.cancerresearchuk.org/.../cellsanddna/
Base Pairing Rules
 DNA has 4 different nitrogenous bases: adenine,
guanine, cytosine, and thymine.

 The bases always pair the same way in a DNA

molecule…unless a mutation occurs.

 Adenine always pairs with Thymine (2 H bonds)

 A-T
 Cytosine always pairs with Guanine. (3 H bonds)
 C-G
A DNA Sequence

DNA is really a
pattern of
repeating
nucleotides.

Science Aid: DNA Structure and Replication

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http://68.90.81.6/ScienceTAKS/Integration/DNA%20&%20RNA.htm
Purines and Pyrimidines

Guardian Angels are Pure, with Two Wings

Orientation of Molecule
 Antiparallel – Read strand 5’ to 3’. The
other strand is oriented in the opposite
direction with the 3’ end across from the
5’ end.
Concepts in Motion
Try it out!
 Below is one strand of a DNA molecule

 GATTACA

 Determine the “complementary” strand of

that same DNA molecule
Practice – use your “Nucleotide Kits” to
build DNA molecules with complementary
strands to the sequences below.

 GTATAGCCAGAG

 CTGTAGAGCTAGCAT

 CGCCTAACTAGTTAGG
CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING:

 Name the 3 parts of a nucleotide.

 Describe the structure of DNA using the

ladder analogy.

 Adenine pairs with __________

 Guanine pairs with __________
DNA Replication
 What does the term “replication” mean?

 Why would the cell need to replicate its

DNA?

 Where does DNA replication take place?

Semiconservative Replication
 Parental strands
separate and serve
as templates for new
strands of DNA.

 (Two new molecules

of DNA are identical
and each one has a
new strand and an old
strand)
Steps of Replication
 DNA molecule unwinds with the help of
enzyme.

 Enzymes add complementary bases to

build the new strands of DNA.

 Enzymes seal the two strands (one old

and one new) together.
Replication Process

DNA Replication Animation

Prokaryote and Eukaryote
Replication
 Replication Fork:
location where DNA
molecule is untwisted
and the strands
separate from one
another.

 How do prokaryote and

eukaryote replication
differ from one
DNA Replication

Honors Biology
Mrs. Gamari
DNA Replication
 What does the term “replication” mean?

 Why would the cell need to replicate its

DNA?

 Where does DNA replication take place?

Semiconservative Replication
 Parental strands
separate and serve
as templates for new
strands of DNA.

 (Two new molecules

of DNA are identical
and each one has a
new strand and an old
strand)
Steps of Replication
 DNA molecule unwinds with the help of
enzyme.

 Enzymes add complementary bases to

build the new strands of DNA.

 Enzymes seal the two strands (one old

and one new) together.
Unwinding
 DNA helicase – unwinds double helix
(hydrogen bonds broken)

 RNA primase adds a short segment of

RNA, called an RNA primer, on each DNA
strand
Base Pairing
 DNA Polymerase adds the appropriate
nucleotides to the new DNA strand
according to the code of the template
strand.
 Nucleotides are added to the 3’ end of the
new DNA strand. Extended/Built 5’ to 3’..
 Leading strand (5’-3’) – strand is
continuously built by the addition of
nucleotides to the 3’ end towards the
replication fork.

 Lagging strand (3’-5’) – strand is

discontinuously built. Elongates away from
the replication fork. Small segments
(Okazaki fragments ) are synthesized along
template– could be 100 to 200 nucleotides
long

 Semidiscontinuous replication?
Replication Process

DNA Replication Animation

Advanced DNA Replication Animation

Joining
 DNA polymerase removes the RNA
primase.

 DNA ligase links the segments/fragments

together.

 2 DNA molecules wind themselves back

up into double helix
Prokaryote and Eukaryote
Replication
 Replication Fork:
location where DNA
molecule is untwisted
and the strands
separate from one
another.

How do prokaryote and

eukaryote replication
differ from one
DNA Keychain Model
 Label original DNA molecule with 5’ and
3’ ends. Label the leading/lagging strand.
 Mimic replication process by adding DNA
nucleotides continuously or
discontinuously according to the strand.
 Draw the correct number of hydrogen
bonds between nitrogenous bases.
 Label where covalent bonds are located.
 Draw key for your DNA model. Include
bonds.