CHAPTER ONE
THE CODE OF LIFE
A Eukaryotic Nucleus
Structure of a nucleotide
● Building blocks of Nucleic Acids
● Monomers
Nitrogen Bases:
adenine (A), thymine (T),
cytosine (C), guanine (G),
uracil (U).
Thymine only in DNA
Uracil only in RNA
Purines (2 rings): A, G Pyrimidines(1 ring): C, T, U
, BASE PAIRS: A + T/U (depending on DNA or RNA); G + C
Functions of DNA
● Protein Synthesis
● Transmission of hereditary characteristics
Structure of DNA
● Made of nucleotides
● Deoxyribose sugar
● AGCT
● Double Helix
Genes and Non-Coding DNA
● Genes: Small portions of coding DNA
● Non-Coding DNA: Does not carry code. Forms functional RNA.
History of DNA discovery
● Watson + Crick won a nobel prize for the discovery of DNA
● Rosalind Franklin took x-rays of DNA which led to the discovery.
Functions of RNA
● mRNA: carries code from DNA to ribosome
● tRNA: transfers amino acids to anticodons
Codon: A group of 3 nucleotides
Similarities of DNA and RNA
● Contains a sugar alternating with phosphate
● Contains A, G, C
● Both play roles in protein synthesis
THE CODE OF LIFE
A Eukaryotic Nucleus
Structure of a nucleotide
● Building blocks of Nucleic Acids
● Monomers
Nitrogen Bases:
adenine (A), thymine (T),
cytosine (C), guanine (G),
uracil (U).
Thymine only in DNA
Uracil only in RNA
Purines (2 rings): A, G Pyrimidines(1 ring): C, T, U
, BASE PAIRS: A + T/U (depending on DNA or RNA); G + C
Functions of DNA
● Protein Synthesis
● Transmission of hereditary characteristics
Structure of DNA
● Made of nucleotides
● Deoxyribose sugar
● AGCT
● Double Helix
Genes and Non-Coding DNA
● Genes: Small portions of coding DNA
● Non-Coding DNA: Does not carry code. Forms functional RNA.
History of DNA discovery
● Watson + Crick won a nobel prize for the discovery of DNA
● Rosalind Franklin took x-rays of DNA which led to the discovery.
Functions of RNA
● mRNA: carries code from DNA to ribosome
● tRNA: transfers amino acids to anticodons
Codon: A group of 3 nucleotides
Similarities of DNA and RNA
● Contains a sugar alternating with phosphate
● Contains A, G, C
● Both play roles in protein synthesis
