Dna Structure

Lesson 17.
DNA Structure
Objectives describe the nucleic acids;
1 and
At the end of
the lesson, you
differentiate between DNA
should be able 2 and RNA.
to:
Learn about It!
Discovery of Nucleic
Acids
• Friedrich Miescher
• He discovered nucleic acids
upon isolation of “nuclein”
from white blood cells.
• This isolated material is now

known as the DNA.
F
r
i
Learn about It!
Nucleic
Acids
• Nucleic acids are biomolecules
that play important roles in the
storage and expression of
genetic information.
• They are macromolecules

composed of the monomers
called nucleotides. The genetic information is stored
in the cell nucleus.
Learn about It!
Nucleotides
• Nucleotides have the
following components
• a phosphate group
• a 5-C sugar
• a nitrogenous base
The structure of a nucleotide.

Learn about It!
Nucleotides
• Nucleotides have the
following bonds within it.
• Glycosidic bond attaches

the base to the first C of
sugar.
• Ester bond attaches the
phosphate to the first C of
sugar. Ester and glycosidic bonds occur
within a nucleotide
Learn about It!
Nucleotide Chain
• Phosphodiester linkages
connect the nucleotides.
• A nucleotide is connected
to its adjacent nucleotides
via two ester bonds.
• Phosphate group is bonded
to the 3′ carbon of sugar.
T
h
e
Learn about It!
Types of Nucleic Acids

• Nucleic acids can either be a
DNA (deoxyribonucleic
acid) or RNA (ribonucleic
acid).
• The differ in terms of their

nitrogenous bases and the
5-C sugar.
T
h
Learn about It!
N•itrogenous
Bases can either be purines (two-ringed) or pyrimidines (single-ringed).
• DNA and RNA have the same bases except for thymine in DNA and uracil in
Bases
RNA.
The
nitrogenous
bases of
DNA and
RNA.
Learn about It!
The Chargaff Rule

• Erwin Chargaff established
rules about DNA composition.
• The amount of A
almost equal to T
• The amount of G almost
equal to C
• 1:1 ratio between A & T The Chargaff rule on DNA base
composition.
and
C&G
Learn about It!
DNA as the Genetic Material

• The DNA stores genetic
information in the form of
nucleotide sequences.
• The base pairings in DNA help

protect and conserve its
genetic information.
D
Learn about It!
DNA Structure
• The strands of DNA run in
opposite directions making them
antiparallel.
• Coding strand: runs in 5′ to

3′ direction; the strand that
is expressed
• Template strand: runs in 3′
to 5′ direction
The antiparallel strands of DNA.
Learn about It!
DNA Structure
• The DNA double helix is
a twisted, right-handed,
staircase.
• Sugar-phosphate: the sides

of the ladder
• Base pairs: the rungs of the
ladder
D
N
Learn about It!
DNA Structure
• The twisting and rigidity of the
DNA form grooves or gaps.
• Minor groove: backbones

are closer; base more hidden
• Major groove: backbones
are farther; bases more
exposed
T
Learn about It!
Discovery of DNA Structure

• James Watson and Francis
Crick first proposed the double
helical structure of DNA.
• They used different data sets

such as that of Rosalind
Franklin and Erwin Chargaff. James Watson (1928-present) and
Francis Crick (1916-2004)
Learn about It!
Discovery of DNA Structure

• Rosalind Franklin, alongside
Raymond Gosling, obtained the
Photograph 51 via X-ray
crystallography.
• The symmetric patterns

generated were interpreted as Rosalind Franklin (1920-1958) and
the DNA structure. her Photograph 51
Let’s Think!
What is the importance of DNA as an

information carrying molecule?
Key Points
Nucleotides, the monomers of nucleic acids, have three

1 components: a five-carbon sugar, a phosphate
group, and a nitrogenous base.
A strand of nucleic acids is formed by linked nucleotides

2 together by phosphodiester bonds.
A DNA strand has a 5’ end where the phosphate group

3 is found and a 3’ end where the sugar molecule is
located.
Key Points
The double helix is right-handed. It twists in the

4 clockwise direction which results in the formation of
major and minor grooves.
The DNA sequence can be represented by its

5 nitrogenous bases.
Ribonucleic acid (RNA) are nucleic acids

6 involved in
protein synthesis. It uses uracil instead of
thymine as
Bibliography
Alberts, B., et al. 2002. Molecular Biology of the Cell, 4th ed. New York: Garland Science.
Lizabeth A. Allison. 2007. Fundamental Molecular Biology. Massachusetts: Blackwell

Publishing.
Berg, J.M., J.L. Tymoczko, L. Stryer, and N.D. Clarke. 2002. Biochemistry. W. H. Freeman and
Company. Campbell, N. 2001. Biology. San Francisco, CA: Benjamin Cummings.
Kwan, L.P., and Y.K. Lam. 2013. Biology GCE”O” Level. Singapore: Marshall Cavendish Education.
Photo Credits
● Slide 8: This file, Difference DNA RNA-EN, by Sponk is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via
Creative
Commons.
● Slide 12: This file, 0318 Nucleus, by OpenTax is licensed under CC BY 4.0 via Creative Commons
.
● Slide 17: This file, Francis Crick, by Marc Lieberman is licensed under CC BY 2.5 via Creative
Commons.

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Lesson 17.

• This isolated material is now

• They are macromolecules

The structure of a nucleotide.

• Glycosidic bond attaches

Types of Nucleic Acids

• The differ in terms of their

The Chargaff Rule

DNA as the Genetic Material

• The base pairings in DNA help

• Coding strand: runs in 5′ to

• Sugar-phosphate: the sides

• Minor groove: backbones

Discovery of DNA Structure

• They used different data sets

Discovery of DNA Structure

• The symmetric patterns

What is the importance of DNA as an

Nucleotides, the monomers of nucleic acids, have three

A strand of nucleic acids is formed by linked nucleotides

A DNA strand has a 5’ end where the phosphate group

The double helix is right-handed. It twists in the

The DNA sequence can be represented by its

Ribonucleic acid (RNA) are nucleic acids

Lizabeth A. Allison. 2007. Fundamental Molecular Biology. Massachusetts: Blackwell

Company. Campbell, N. 2001. Biology. San Francisco, CA: Benjamin Cummings.

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