Week 1 MB 2022

Molecular Biology ( 240386) sec 1
Prof. Raida Khalil

1st 2021 2022
@9.45 am MW
Calss # 2901
• Week 1
Discuss course syllabus
Introduction to course contents and to The

Structures of DNA and other Macromolecules
• Foundational principles of cell biology : cells make up a
multicellular organism are autonomous!
• Proteins: majority of active cellular components
• specific function of protein dictated by its sequence amino

acids, instructions encoded in sequence of nucleotides in
deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), biological information-carrying
molecule.
• One copy of DNA of human genome encompassing 23

chromosomes & encodes 20,000 proteins.
.
Human genome contains a total of base pairs ,
total
information capacity bits, corresponds
to about
bytes of information
(unit used to measure computer memory).

A single copy of the human genome weighs
Grams
In theory, same information contained

in a million one-terabyte laptop computer hard drives
stored in a mass of DNA the size of a grain of sand.
FIGURE 5-1 Overview of four basic molecular genetic processes
5.1 The Double-Helical Structure of DNA
• DNA and RNA have very similar primary structures
• DNA and RNA polymers in cells have quite different

three-dimensional structures
• Native DNA Is a Double Helix of
• Complementary Antiparallel Strands
• Purines: A and G pyrimidine : C; T and U

FIGURE 2-17 Chemical structures of the principal bases in
nucleic acids.
consists of two phosphoester
bonds, one on the side of the
phosphate and another on the
side.
FIGURE 5-2 Chemical directionality of a nucleic acid strand

FIGURE 5-3 The DNA double helix.
• Almost all DNA in cells takes the form of a right-handed helix B
form DNA, normal form present in most DNA stretches in cells
• The x-ray diffraction pattern of DNA indicates stacked bases

regularly and spaced 0.34-nm apart along the helix axis.
• helix makes a complete turn every to , 10–10.5 base pairs
• outside of helix, spaces between intertwined strands form two

helical grooves of different widths, major groove and the minor
groove
• Atoms on edges of each base within these grooves accessible
from outside the helix, forming two types of binding surfaces:
• DNA-binding proteins can read sequence of bases in duplex DNA
by contacting atoms in either major or minor grooves.
In natural DNA, A hydrogen-bonds with T and G with C,
(a larger purine and a smaller pyrimidine)=

Watson-Crick base pairs.
complementary.
In theory and in synthetic DNAs, other base pairs form.
E.g: G hydrogen bonds with T within space available in
helix.
FIGURE 5-4
A- bidirectional pink arrow below chemical structures of
T-A and C-G indicates specific distance and angle
between bonds. T-A bond matches both distance and
angle of pink line and the C-G angle slightly steeper.
B- A bidirectional pink arrow below chemical structure

of C-A and T-G indicates the specific distance and angle
between bonds. Both C A and T G tilted to opposite angle
with the same distance
Any irregularities in DNA caused by chemical
damage or mispairing of bases will disrupt this
uniform structure and, will allow DNA repair
enzymes to identify and act on the site of damage.
• Important modifications in structure of B-form DNA
about as a result of protein binding to specific DNA
sequences.
• Multitude of hydrogen and hydrophobic bonds

between bases provides stability to DNA,
• Double helix flexible about its long axis Unlike the α

helix in proteins
Question : Explain why!

And importance of flexibility !!
FIGURE 3-4 The α helix, a common secondary structure in
proteins.
FIGURE 5-5 Interaction with a protein such as TBP can
bend DNA.
Why did DNA, rather than RNA, evolve to be the carrier of
genetic information in cells?
FIGURE 2-16 Common structure of nucleotides
FIGURE 5-6 Spontaneous hydrolysis of RNA catalyzed by the -hydroxyl
group. -hydroxyl group in RNA can act as a nucleophile, attacking
phosphodiester bond. cyclic monophosphate derivative further hydrolyzed
to a mixture of 2’ and 3’ monophosphates.

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Molecular Biology ( 240386) sec 1

Prof. Raida Khalil

Introduction to course contents and to The

• Proteins: majority of active cellular components

• specific function of protein dictated by its sequence amino

• One copy of DNA of human genome encompassing 23

(unit used to measure computer memory).

In theory, same information contained

• DNA and RNA have very similar primary structures

• DNA and RNA polymers in cells have quite different

• Native DNA Is a Double Helix of

• Complementary Antiparallel Strands

• Purines: A and G pyrimidine : C; T and U

FIGURE 5-2 Chemical directionality of a nucleic acid strand

• The x-ray diffraction pattern of DNA indicates stacked bases

• helix makes a complete turn every to , 10–10.5 base pairs

• outside of helix, spaces between intertwined strands form two

(a larger purine and a smaller pyrimidine)=

B- A bidirectional pink arrow below chemical structure

• Multitude of hydrogen and hydrophobic bonds

• Double helix flexible about its long axis Unlike the α

Question : Explain why!

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