Genetics

• DNA = deoxyribonucleic

  RNA = ribonucleic acid (extra oxygen than DNA, stops being double stranded)
• tertiary shape of protein determines the function
• sequence of amino acids within the cell is stored within the DNA
• amino acids ---> peptide ---> protein
• Double helix = 2 backbones unraveled DNA
• Major and minor groove are very consistent and stable, allowing certain enzymes to interact
• One strand is coding
• One strand is a template
• Base pairs: C+G and A+T
• Bases are located between the 2 backbones
• Stability is maintained by parallel backbones acting like brackets holding the bases in place
• All bases must add up to the same distance
• Covalent bonds are found down the outside of parallel pentagons (pentagons represent sugar molecules)
• Bonds between bases are hydrogen bonds
• C+G base pair has 3 hydrogen bonds, making it stronger than the A+T base pair with 2 hydrogen bonds
•     Chargaff’s law = same amount of A’s as G’s and same amount of G’s as C’s
• 1.      pull 2 backbones apart and identify exposed sequence = RNA transcript (photocopy), don’t last forever, just needs to do its job

  In RNA transcripts the T is replaced by U

  2.      helix reforms once transcript is taken

  3.      transcript heads out of the cell and heads to next roll = translation
• Translation

  1.      transcript heads to ribosome (on rough endoplasmic reticulum(RER) or in cytoplasm)

  2.      a protein that needs to go on membrane it will go to RER

  3.      codeon the mRNA (transcript) and anticodon tRNA (triplet)

  4.      turns on its back on ribosome and bases are exposed so the amino acids join onto complementary base pairs to form a protein that works = DNA