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of the Gene
(一)Definition of a Gene
Mendel's Particles... unit of heredity responsible for phenotype
Morgan's Loci... he placed genes on a chromosome, i.e.,
it's a cellular entity, that is part of chromosome & is mapable
Watson & Crick... it's a sequence of specific nucleotides along
the length of a double helical DNA molecule
Molecular Definition...
length: 1 nucleotide = 0.34nm thus tRNA = 81n x 0.34 = 27.5nm
mass: 1 nucleotide = 340amu thus tRNA = 81n x 340 = 27,540amu
Modern functional definition...
a DNA sequence coding for a specific polypeptide: but, also
must include...
Split Genes... presence of Introns & Exons :
eukaryotic genes contain non-coding segments (introns)
and coding segments (exons - that make proteins)
Others DNA pieces... any definition must also include:
promoters, enhancers, regulator genes, operators,
also segments that code for rRNA, tRNA, & snRNP's
BEST = "A GENE is a region of DNA that CODES for an RNA" end.
(二)Structure of DNA
Sugars
HOH2C o OH
2 purine A and G
RNA
Lactam Lactim
O OH
N N
10 -5
O N ketoiminoform O N
R R
HOH2C o Base
1' Ribonucleoside
2'
HO OH
HOH2C o Base
1' Deoxyribonucleoside
2'
HO
γ β α Adenosine triphosphate
4' 1'
(ATP)
3' 2'
HO
General rule:
Always write structure 5′→ 3′
If use 3′→ 5′, specify the polarity on structure
c) Shorthands
Base
B1 B2 B3
( p or OH)5' 3'
OH or p
p p
p B1 p B2 p B3 ( OH or p )
p B1B2 B3 p or OH
pKa′s of phosphate
~ 1.8 (α) No charge
~ 6.2-7.2 (β) Minus 1 or 2 charge depend
on the environments
b) Abs UV
Quantization and differentiation of nucleotides
d) Sugar puckers
2. β-form of DNA
Most common physiological form
5′ 3′
3′ 5′
3. Stabilization of structure
a) Ionic forces
Each internal p = 1
−
Backbone repell each other
⊕ 3
N H3
b) 11 residues / turn
Bases tilted with respect to helix axis (wrt)
Protein can differentiate α & β from DNA
⇒ some regulation
c) Z-form
Observed originally in crystals d(GpC)3 occurs
primary in alternative pu-py (R-Y) sequences.