ABBIE : THE REAL DNA

DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) was discovered in the late 1800s, but its
role as the material of heredity was not elucidated for fifty years after that. It
occupies a central and critical role in the cell as the genetic information in
which all the information required to duplicate and maintain the organism. All
information necessary to maintain and propagate life is contained within a
linear array of four simple bases: ADENINE, GUANINE, THYMINE, AND
CYTOSINE.

HOW IS IT DESCRIBED?
DNA was first described as a monotonously UNIFORM HELIX,
generally called B-DNA. However, we now know that DNA can adopt many
different shapes and conformations. Moreover, many of these alternative
shapes have biological importance. Thus, the DNA is not simply an
informational repository. Rather, structural information exists within the
specific sequence patterns of the bases. This structural information dictates
the interaction of DNA with proteins to carry out processes of DNA
replication, transcription into RNA, and repair of errors or damage to the
DNA.

WHAT IS IT COMPOSED OF?

DNA is composed of PURINE (ADENINE AND GUANINE) and
PYRIMIDINE (CYTOSINE AND THYMINE) bases, each connected through a
ribose sugar or phosphate backbone. Many variations are possible in the
chemical structure of the bases and the sugar, and in the structural
relationship of the base to the sugar that result in differences in helical shape
and form. The most common DNA helix, B-DNA, is a double helix of two DNA
strands with about 10.5 base pairs per helical turn.

THE B-DNA
The purines and pyrimidines are the informational molecules of
the genetic blueprints for the cell. The two sides of the helix are held
together by hydrogen bonds between base pairs. Hydrogen bonds are
weak attractions between a hydrogen atom on one side and an oxygen or
nitrogen atom on the other. Hydrogen atoms of animo groups serve as the
hydrogen bond donor with the carbonyl oxygens and ring nitrogens
serve as hydrogen bond acceptors. The specific location of hydrogen bond
donor and acceptor groups gives the bases their specificity for hydrogen
bonding in unique pairs. Thymine (T) pairs with Adenine (A) through two
hydrogen bonds, and cytosine (C) pairs with guanine (G) through three
hydrogen bonds. T does not normally pair with G, nor does C normally pair
with A.

NUCLEOTIDES AND NUCLEOSIDES

DESCRIPTION

Nucleotides
Each nucleotide is made
up of three parts a
sugar, a phosphate and a
nitrogen base.
[ phosphate covalently
bonded 3 or/and 5
hydroxyl group(s)

Nucleosides

Each nucleoside is
made up of two parts
a sugar and a
nitrogen base
[no phosphate]

DNA contains four types

of nucleotides. Type of
nucleotide depends on
the nitrogen base.
Component Nitrogen
Base
Adenine (A)
Thymine (T)
Guanine (G)
Cytosine (A)

Name of
Nucleotide
Deoxyadenylate
Deoxyguanylate
Deoxycytidylate
Deoxythymidylate

Name of
Nucleoside
Deoxyadenosine
Deoxyguanosine
Deoxycytidine
Deoxythymidine

NITROGEN BASES
There are 4 different bases in DNA molecule, two purines and two
pyrimidines.
Purines adenine and guanine
Pyrimidine cytosine and thymine
Sequence of nitrogen bases determine what biological information is
written in DNA strand which is used to build and maintain an organism.

NITROGEN BASES
N-base group
Members

Base Pairs

SUGAR

Purines
Pyrimidines
Adenine and Guanine
Cytosine and Thymine
Derivative of
One ringed structure
pyrimidines,
Two ringed structure
Larger than pyrimidines
Smaller than purines
Adenine Thymine and Cytosine - Guanine

- DNA contains B D 2 deoxyribose sugar

- Named 2 deoxyribose as hydroxyl group 2 carbon is missing (as
compared to
ribose sugar)
- It is pentose sugar, named so as it contains 5 carbons
- Prefix D refer the configuration of sugar, because of the presence of
asymmetric carbon atom
- Hydroxyl groups from 3 and 5 carbon link to phosphate group to
build DNA backbone

PHOSPHATE (PHOSPHORIC ACID)

- Out of three reactive hydroxyl groups of the phosphoric acid, two are
used for DNA backbone formation or DNA chain formation.
- It links to 3 carbon of one sugar and 5 carbon of another one.
- The third one gives the DNA an acidic property.

CONCLUSION
In summary, DNA can exist in a very stable, right-handed double helix,
in which the genetic information is very stable. Certain DNA sequences can
also adopt alternative conformations, some of which are important
regulatory signals involved in the genetic expression or replication of DNA.

AUSTIN: WHAT DOES DNA EVEN LOOK LIKE?

DNA is usually a double-helix and has two strands running in opposite
directions. (There are some examples of viral DNA which are singlestranded). Each chain is a polymer of subunits called Nucleotides (hence the
name polynucleotide).

WHAT IS DNA COMPOSED OF?

- DNA has three types of chemical component: phosphate, a sugar
called deoxyribose, and four nitrogenous bases.
- Two of the bases, adenine and guanine have a double-ring structure
characteristics of a type of chemical called a purine. The other two bases,
cytosine and thymine, have a single ring structure of a type called a
pyrimidine.