CENTRAL

DOGMA OF
MOLECULAR
BIOLOGY
M S . J E S I R E N E R . V I L L A N U E VA
SHS- SCIENCE LEARNING AREA
The CENTRAL DOGMA OF MOLECULAR BIOLOGY describes the
two-step process, transcription and translation, by which the
information in genes flows into proteins: DNA → RNA → protein.

Image Source: https://byjus.com/biology/central-dogma/

 DNA AND RNA
STRUCTURE AND
FUNCTION
Upon completion of this lesson, you
should be able to:

 Briefly describe the Watson and

Crick structure of DNA and list the
evidence used in proposing the
structure

 List the steps involved in

replicating DNA

 Compare and contrast the

structure of RNA with that of DNA

 List the three major types of RNA

and describe their function.
DNA, not proteins is responsible for
HEREDITY
By the early
1950s,
investigators
had learned
that genes are
composed of
DNA and that
mutated genes
result in errors
of metabolism.
Therefore, DNA
in some way
must control
the cell.
 THE
DNA is a NUCLEIC ACID
STRUCTURE
OF THE DNA
NUCLEOTIDES
 THE
STRUCTURE
James Watson and Francis OF THE DNA
Crick determined the
structure of DNA, but their
work particularly relied on
the studies done by Erwin
Chargaff and Rosalind
Franklin.
 CHARGAFF’S RULES
• Before Chargaff began his work,
it was known that DNA contains
four different types of
nucleotides based of their
nitrogen containing bases.
• The bases are:
– Adenine (A)
– Guanine (G)
– Thymine (T)
– Cytosine (C)
• With the development of new
chemical techniques in the 1940s,
Chargaff decided to analyze in
detail the base content of DNA in
various species.
 CHARGAFF’S RULES
• Chargaff found that each
species has its own
percentages of each type
1. The amount of A, T,
of nucleotide. G and C in DNA varies
– For example, in a human cell, from species to
31% of bases are adenine, 31% species
are thymine, 19% are guanine;
and 19% are cytosine
• In all the species Chargaff
2. In each species, the
studied, the amount of A amount of A=T and
always equaled the the amount of G=C.
amount of T, and the
amount of G always
equaled the amount of C.
 FRANKLIN’S X-RAY
DIFFRACTION DATA
• Rosalind Franklin was
a researcher at King’s
College in London in
the early 1950s.
• She studied the
structure of DNA
using X-ray
crystallography.
 WATSON AND CRICK MODEL
OF THE DNA
The data they used:
DNA is a polymer of four types of
nucleotides with the bases adenine
(A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), and
thymine (T).
Based on Chargaff’s rules, the
amount of A=T, and the amount of
G=C
Based on Franklin’s X-ray diffraction
photograph, DNA is a double helix
with a repeating pattern
WATSON AND CRICK MODEL
OF THE DNA
The model showed that the
deoxyribose sugar –
phosphate molecules are
bonded to one another to
make up the side of a twisted
ladder.
The nitrogenous bases make
up the rungs of the ladder –
they project into the middle
and hydrogen-bond with The pairing of A with T and G with
bases on the other strand. C – now called complementary
base pairing – results in rungs of a
consistent width.
DNA STRUCTURE
DNA is double helix
because it is double
stranded.

The two strands are

antiparallel and run in
opposite directions.

The model also suggests that

complementary base
pairing may play a role in
replication of DNA
DNA REPLICATION
 DNA REPLICATION
The process of making identical copy of DNA molecules

What happens during DNA Replication ?

The two strands of DNA which are
held together by hydrogen bonds
are separated and each old
strand of the parent molecule
serves as a template for a new
strand in daughter molecule.

This process is referred to as

semiconservative. Since one of the
two old strands is conserved, or
present, in each daughter molecule.
 DNA REPLICATION
• DNA helicase unwind
the parental double
helix.
• Single-stranded binding
proteins stabilize the
unwound parental DNA
• The leading strand is
synthesized continuously
in the 5’ → 3’ direction by
DNA polymerase
• The lagging strand is
synthesized discontinuously.
Primase synthesizes a short
RNA primer, which is
extended by DNA
polymerase to form an
Okazaki fragment
• After the RNA primer is
replaced by DNA, DNA ligase
joins the Okazaki fragment
to the growing strand.
 DNA REPLICATION
In eukaryotes, DNA replication
begins at numerous sites, called
origins of replication, along the
length of the chromosome.

At each origin of replication,

replication forks form, allowing
replication to proceed in both
directions. Around each replication
fork, a “replication bubble” forms.

The replication bubbles spread in both

directions until they meet.
Rate of replication: 500 – 5000 base
pairs per minute
RNA STRUCTURE & FUNCTION
Ribonucleic Acid is made up of nucleotides containing
the sugar ribose.

The four nucleotides that make up RNA

molecule have the following bases: Unlike DNA, RNA is single
stranded

RNA is a helper to DNA,

allowing protein
synthesis to occur
according to the genetic
As it is single stranded, it is less information that DNA
stable than DNA and is prone to provides.
destabilization in water
RNA STRUCTURE & FUNCTION
There are 3 major types of RNA, each with a specific function in
protein synthesis.
Messenger RNA (mRNA)
 is produced in the nucleus of
eukaryotes, and in the nucleoid
of prokaryotes.
 Carries genetic information from
DNA in the nucleus to the
ribosomes in the cytoplasm,
where protein synthesis occurs.

Transfer RNA (tRNA)

Produced in the nucleus
of eukaryotes, and a Ribosomal RNA
portion of DNA serves as (rRNA)
a template for its Produced in the
production. nucleolus of a nucleus
Transfers amino acids joins proteins made in
present in the cytoplasm the cytoplasm to form
to the ribosomes. subunits of
Each amino acid has its ribosomes.
own tRNA
 DNA VS. RNA
CRITERIA DNA RNA

Function

Location in a cell

Type of sugar molecule

Nitrogen bases present

Number of strands
 GENE
EXPRESSION
Upon completion of this lesson, you
should be able to:

 List the steps involved in gene

expression and describe the part of
the cell in which each step occurs.

 Explain what the genetic code is

used for and explain why it is
considered to be almost universal.
 Describe how transcription copies
the information from a gene into a
messenger RNA molecule.

 List the three modifications that

occur during mRNA processing and
briefly explain their importance.

 Describe how the process of

translation converts the chemical
language of nucleic acids into a
protein and list the three phases of
this process
The CENTRAL DOGMA OF MOLECULAR BIOLOGY describes the
two-step process, transcription and translation, by which the
information in genes flows into proteins: DNA → RNA → protein.

Image Source: https://byjus.com/biology/central-dogma/

Protein Synthesis
 TRANSCRIPTION
• DNA information is
copied or transcribed
into mRNA following
complementary base
pairing.
Recall that the nitrogenous
bases in nucleic acid can
hydrogen bond to each
other in a complementary
fashion.

• mRNA leaves the

nucleus and
attaches to a
ribosome
Protein Synthesis
I. Give what is asked in each of the following:

A. Write the complementary strand of DNA to the

following sequence.
5′ A-C-T-C-G-G-T-A-A-C-A-A-T-A-T-C-A-T-C-G-G 3′

_____________________________________

B. Write the complementary mRNA segment of the

given DNA sequence in 5’-3’ direction.

_______________________________________________

C. Using the genetic code, identify the sequence of

amino acids coded by the identified mRNA segment.

______________________________________________