4.1 DNA Structure & Analysis

First set of notes from chapter 4

Molecular Biology

the study of genes and the flow of genetic information from DNA to RNA to protein

Genetics

study of genes and inheritance

Biochemistry

study of the chemistry of biological molecules

Restriction enzymes

enzymes that cut DNA at a specific sequence called a restriction enzyme recognition site

What are the four key techniques of molecular biology?

1. Cutting DNA with restriction enzymes

2. Joining DNA pieces (ligation)

3. Putting DNA into bacteria (transformation)

   1. Making many copies of DNA (PCR)

PCR

technique that uses multiple cycles of defined temperature changes to amplify specific DNA sequences

What are four real world applications of molecular biology?

1. Helping free wrongly accused prisoners

2. Tracing Sources of dangerous microbes (like anthrax)

3. Making medicines using engineered proteins

4. Generating billions in revenue for pharmaceutical companies

What is the Central Dogma?

Main flow of genetic information

DNA to RNA to Protein

DNA replication

process by which a DNA molecule is copied into a new strand of DNA

DNA polymerase

enzyme that copies both DNA strands and makes a brand new copy of the DNA

Transcription

Process by which DNA is copied into RNA

mRNA

RNA that has been transcribed from DNA and serves as a template for translation into a polypeptide by ribosomes

Translation

Process by which ribosomes translate mRNA sequences into chains of amino acids

What determines an organism’s traits?

Proteins

Reverse transcriptase

Some viruses are able to go from RNA to DNA to RNA to protein

genetic engineering

manipulation of DNA of an organism; addition of new DNA sequences or deletion