BIO 205

Chapter 7
Prokaryotic
Genetics
The Four Nucleotides Composing DNA
DNA Base Pairs
Double Stranded DNA
Molecule
 Prokaryotic DNA
Prokaryotic DNA Is Organized within the Nucleoid:

•Most of the genetic information in prokaryotic cells is contained in the

chromosome.

•The chromosome is located in the nucleoid.

•DNA within a Chromosome Is Highly Compacted.

•DNA occupies around 1/3 of the total volume of the cell.

 Prokaryotic DNA Continued
The chromosome is supercoiled – twisted and tightly
packed by nucleoid-associated proteins
 Plasmids

•Many Prokaryotic Cells also Contain Plasmids.

•Plasmids are stable extrachromosomal DNA elements that

carry nonessential genetic information

•They replicate independently from the chromosome

•F plasmids allow genetic material to be transferred from a

donor cell to a recipient

•R plasmids carry genes for antibiotic resistance

 DNA Replication

•DNA Replication Is a Highly Regulated Process

•The first stage of prokaryotic replication is initiation,

where DNA unwinds and the strands separate.

•The point where replication starts is the origin of

replication (oriC)

•As the DNA unzips, two replication forks form and move in
opposite directions away from the origin
•The second stage is elongation, when enzymes
synthesize a new strand to pair with each original strand.

•Insertion of complementary nucleotides on the template

strand is carried out by DNA polymerase III

•DNA polymerase III can move only in a 3’ to 5’ direction,

creating a leading strand and a lagging strand

•The lagging strand is synthesized in Okazaki fragments,

which are joined by DNA ligase

•Mistakes that occur in DNA replication are called

mutations
•The third stage is termination, when the two DNA
helices separate from each other

•When the replication forks reach the termination point

(terC), terminator proteins block any further replication

•The pairing of one old strand with one new strand is

called semiconservative replication
 Protein Synthesis

The Central Dogma Identifies the Flow of Genetic

Information

•DNA is expressed as RNA through transcription

•RNA is translated into proteins through translation

 Transcription
•Transcription Copies Genetic Information into RNA
•RNA polymerase is the enzyme that synthesizes RNA from
the DNA template
•Only one of the two DNA strands is transcribed
•Messenger RNA (mRNA) carries the information of what
protein will be synthesized
•Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) are the
framework of ribosomes

•Transfer RNA (tRNA) contains the

anticodon.

•The anticodon is a sequence of 3

nitrogenous bases complementary
to the codon on the mRNA.

•It corresponds to a specific

amino acid.
 The Genetic Code Is Degenerate.
More than one codon specifies a particular amino acid.

AUG is the start codon.

Some codonsdo not code for amino acids. They can terminate the
addition of amino acids to a polypeptide (stop codon)
 Translation
Translation Is the Process of Making the Polypeptide.

Translation occurs as the ribosome moves along the mRNA.

The mRNA codons are exposed to tRNA binding sites in the ribosome

Translation begins with the addition of the tRNA whose anticodon is

complementary to AUG
•Each amino acid in the chain is attached to its
neighbors by a peptide bond.

•Polypeptide elongation continues until the stop codon

is reached.

•Releasing factors bind to the codon and trigger release

of the polypeptide.

•Chaperones help polypeptides fold into the correct

shape.

•Antibiotics Interfere with Protein Synthesis.

Coupled transcription and translation in prokaryotes
 Operons
Protein Synthesis Can Be Controlled in Several Ways.

•Segments of prokaryotic DNA are organized into operons.

•Each operon consists of a cluster of structural genes that

carry the genetic information for proteins involved in metabolic
functions.

•An operator, which controls transcription of structural genes.

•A promoter to which RNA polymerase binds in initiation of

structural gene transcription.

•DNA also contains regulatory genes that code for a repressor

protein

•The repressor protein binds to the operon.

•This prevents transcription of structural genes (negative

control)
 Mutations

•Mutations Are the Result of

Natural Processes or Induced.

•Spontaneous mutations are

heritable changes to the base
sequence in DNA .

•They result from natural

phenomena such as radiation or
uncorrected errors in replication.

•UV light is a physical mutagen

that creates a dimer that cannot
be transcribed properly.
Nitrous acid is a chemical mutagen that converts adenine bases to
hypoxanthine.

Hypoxanthine base pairs with cytosine instead of thymine.

Base analogs bear a close resemblance to nitrogenous bases and

can cause replication errors.
 Point Mutations
Point Mutations Are a Result of Spontaneous or Induced
Mutations

•A point mutation affects

just one base pair in a
gene.

•Base-pair substitutions
result in an incorrect base
in transcribed mRNA
codons

•Base-pair deletion or
insertion results in an
incorrect number of
bases.
 DNA Repair Mechanisms
•Repair Mechanisms Attempt to Correct Mistakes or
Damage in the DNA.

•Mismatch repair involves DNA polymerase “proofreading”

the new strandand removing mismatched nucleotides.
 Excision repair involves:

•Cutting out damaged DNA

•Replacing it with correct

nucleotides
End of Chapter 7