DNA & RNA

DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACID
 is the genomic material in cells that
contains the genetic information used in
the development and functioning of all
known living organisms. Within the
nucleus of eukaryotic cells, DNA is
organized into structures called
chromosomes. The complete set of
chromosomes in a cell makes up its
genome; the human genome has
approximately 3 billion base pairs of
DNA arranged into 46 chromosomes.
The information carried by DNA is held
in the sequence of pieces of DNA called
genes.
 DISCOVERY
• DNA was first observed by a German
biochemist named Frederich Miescher
in 1869. But for many years,
researchers did not realize the
importance of this molecule. It was not
until 1953 that James Watson, Francis
Crick, Maurice Wilkins and Rosalind
Franklin figured out the structure of
DNA — a double helix — which they
realized could carry biological
information.
 PROPERTIES OF DNA
 DNA molecules are long — so long, in
fact, that they can't fit into cells without
the right packaging. To fit inside cells,
DNA is coiled tightly to form
structures we call chromosomes. Each
chromosome contains a single DNA
molecule. Humans have 23 pairs of
chromosomes, which are found inside
the cell's nucleus.
 DNA STRUCTURE
 DNA is made up of molecules called
nucleotides. Each nucleotide contains a
phosphate group, a sugar group and a
nitrogen base. The four types of nitrogen
bases are adenine (A), thymine (T),
guanine (G) and cytosine (C). The order
of these bases is what determines DNA's
instructions, or genetic code. Human
DNA has around 3 billion bases, and
more than 99 percent of those bases are
the same in all people.
There are four nitrogenous bases in DNA
Adenine (A) Cytosine (C) Guanine (G) Thymine (T)
DNA STRUCTURE
 FUNCTIONS OF DNA
 The functions of DNA are vital for
inheritance, coding for proteins and the
genetic blueprint of life. Given the
enormity of DNA's functions in the human
body and its responsibility for the growth
and maintenance of life, it is not
surprising that the discovery of DNA has
led to such a great number of
developments in treating disease. DNA
holds the instructions for an organism's
development and reproduction -
ultimately, its survival.
•Chicken pox
•Mono
•Small pox

EXAMPLES OF DNA VIRUSES

Chicken pox
Mono
Small pox
RIBONUCLEIC ACID
is typically single stranded and
contains ribose as its pentose
sugar and the pyrimidine uracil
instead of thymine. An RNA
strand can undergo significant
intramolecular base pairing to
take on a three-dimensional
structure.
•Chicken pox
•Mono
•Small pox

TYPES OF RNA
1. Messenger RNA (mRNA) - carries copies of
instructions for the assembly of amino acids
into proteins from DNA to the rest of the
cell (serve as “messenger”)
•Chicken pox
•Mono
•Small pox

TYPES OF RNA
2. Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) – makes up
the major part of ribosomes, which is
where proteins are made.

Ribosomal
RNA
•Chicken pox
•Mono
•Small pox

TYPES OF RNA
1. Transfer RNA (tRNA) - Transfers
amino acids to ribosomes during
protein synthesis.
 PROPERTIES OF RNA
1. RNA is usually single stranded, not a double helix.
One consequence of its being single stranded is
that RNA can form a much greater variety of
complex three dimensional molecular shapes than
can double-stranded DNA.
 PROPERTIES OF RNA
2. RNA has the sugar ribose in its nucleotides, rather
than deoxyribose. The two sugars differ in the
presence or absence of just one oxygen atom.
 PROPERTIES OF RNA
3. RNA nucleotides carry the bases adenine, guanine,
and cytosine, but the pyrimidine base uracil (U) is
found in place of thymine. However, uracil does
form hydrogen bonds with adenine, just as thymine
does.
 RNA STRUCTURE
RNA is a single-stranded. Like
DNA, RNA is composed of its
phosphate group, five-carbon
sugar (the less stable ribose),
and 4 nitrogen-
containing nucleobases:
adenine, uracil (not thymine),
guanine, and cytosine.
FUNCTIONS OF RNA
 There are two main functions of RNA. It
assists DNA by serving as a messenger to
relay the proper genetic information to
countless numbers of ribosomes in your body.
The other main function of RNA is to select
the correct amino acid needed by each
ribosome to build new proteins for your body.
While RNA is quite small in stature, your
body could not perform as needed without its
proper assistance. Let's discuss the two most
important types of RNA to get a better idea
about RNA's function inside of your body's
cells.
EXAMPLES OF RNA VIRUSES
Rabies
Measles
Mumps
Flu
AIDS
Common cold
Some cancers
 RNA DNA
Adenine (A) Adenine (A)
Guanine (G) Guanine (G)
Bases Uracil (U) Thymine (T)
Cytosine (C) Cytosine (C)

Ribose Deoxyribose
Sugar

Single stranded, and often, Two anti-parallel,

but not always, linear in complementary strands
shape form a double helix
Number of strands
QUIZ
1. What is the genomic material in cells that contains
the genetic information used in the development and
functioning of all known living organisms?
2. The information carried by DNA is held in the
sequence of pieces of DNA is called ____.
3. How many pairs of chromosomes can be found inside
the cell's nucleus?
4. Is a type or RNA that makes up the major part of
ribosomes, which is where proteins are made.
5. A German biochemist who first observed DNA.
QUIZ
6-8. Examples of DNA viruses.
9-10. Examples of RNA viruses.