Basic Cell and Molecular Biology
Lecture 1 van Haastert -> Chapter 1 P. 1-39 Origin of life and Introduction Cell Biology.
Characteristics of life:
Organization: Basic unit is a cell
Metabolism: Energy for synthesis complex compounds, Geheel van biochemische
omzettingen in de cellen van een orginisme.
Growth: Increase of materials and organelles.
Cell division: Increase of the number of cells.
Reproduction: Production of new individuals; leads to evolution.
External signals: Detection of environment
Adaptation: Adjustment to environment.
Reaction on external signals – Can be very different, from contraction when touched,
movement away from predators, or orientation of leaf to sunlight.
Our solar system has the optimal features for life The size of the planet matters; too small → no
atmosphere/ too big → no gas Temperature matters too.
History Evolution:
14 billion years ago : Big Bang.
5 billion years ago : Begin Earth-Sun solar system. (zonnestelsel)
4 billion years ago : First pre-DNA “life”. Very hot & acid + hotsprings ( =Hydrotermic springs
at the ocean floor with FeS peptides). After the emergence of replication mechanisms, a
membrane must have been formed by which individual units appeared ultimately developing
into free living cells. (free electrons, worked as katalyst → RNA)
3 billion years ago : First bacterial cells. Next big step: Photosynthesis
2 billion years ago : First unicellular eukaryotes (DNA ligt in de celkern in dit organisme).
Advantages unicellular: (unicellular organisms possess a high degree of complexity for one
cell)
● Large Surface/Volume ratio better for uptake of nutrients.
● Very fast growth
● Slow sedimentation, e.g. Diatomea stay longer in photonic zone.
● Less attractive for predators - Advantages multicellular (larger genomes)
● Move faster (flight from predators
● Graze larger volume + storage
● Differentiation, specialization, distribution of tasks.
1 billion years ago : Seperation plants, fungi and animals.
- today we recognize 37 animal groups the cambrian Explosion → new animals
- The biochemistry of all organisms has a common origin that was fixed during early evolution
- a human does not have more genes, one gene is just more complex
Model for the origin of life:
The model assumes the conditions of redox potential, pH and temperature gradient as it was present
in hydrothermal springs at the ocean floor. The words RNA era, RNP era (ribonucleo-protein) and DNA
era, are used to indicate that nucleic acid evolved by chemical means, first geo-chemical, then bio-
geochemical and finally biochemical.
After the emergence (ontstaan) of replication mechanisms, a membrane must have been formed by
which individual units appeared ultimately developing into free living cells Slide 10, 11 and 14.
,Cyanobacteria: also known as Cyanophyta, are a phylum of bacteria that obtain their energy
through photosynthesis. They are the only photosynthetic prokaryotes able to produce oxygen. The
name cyanobacteria comes from the color of the bacteria lit. The first Cyanobacteria were originate
tree billion years ago. Without the oxygen they produce we couldn’t life in that time. they have
sediment so they sink.
Eukaryote cells evolved from prokaryote cells by endosymbiosis of different organisms, The first
prokaryotes makes the cell and the second makes the mitochondrion, the defuse together. Slide 17
PROKARYOTES: NO nucleus, NO membrane-surrounded cell compartments, NO mitochondria, etc.
Animal cells and plant cells are eukaryotes.
Origin of multicellularity:
Cells stay together after cell division. Slide 20 and 21.
Individuals cells aggregate (een geheel ontstaan door verschillende elementen te
combineren). Slide 23.
1 billion years ago the first multicellular cell was here.
Advantages of multicellular is big size
Large mobility –flight from predators
Large organisms can ‘graze’ a larger surface
Large organisms and colonies can take up and store more nutrients for later use.
Differentiation into different cell types, allowing specialization and distribution of tasks.
Multicellular organisms have spatial (ruimtelijke) organization:
In the absence of spatial organization, randomly dividing cells will automatically form a filled sphere
in which: -competition between cells will be very large and
-cells in the center will starve.
Even very simple multicellular organisms have structural organization in filaments, surfaces or hollow
spheres.
Filamentous shape / Holllow sphere = rare (volvox: algae) Eukaryote cells evolved from
prokaryote cells by endosymbiosis of different organisms
There is a big different between prokaryote and eukaryote in protein targeting, secretion. In
prokaryote it is 35 and in eukaryote it is 430.
More “complex” organisms have more genes, Slide 31-33.
,After “Cambrian explosion” many new species evolved; by many mutations of excisting genes, but
not by many new genes.
•Genes associated with human disease can be found and studied in mice, flies, and often also in
yeast and slime mold.
•Medication for humans can be tested in mice.
Lecture 1 van Haastert -> Chapter 1 P. 1-39 introduction Cell Biology
Cell biology is a branch of biology that studies cells, this is done both on a microscopic and molecular
level. The smallest form of life is a cell, most organism are single cells and once in their life
multicellular organism were single cells.
Common to all cells: Slide 10 and 11.
•storage of information in DNA
•replication, transcription, translation (DNA -> RNA -> protein)
•each protein encoded by specific gene
•proteins are catalysts
Different among cells: Slide 13
•source of energy in plants and animals
•number of genes (500 to 31,000).
The 3 kingdoms of life
- bacteria = plastid
- Archaea, command ancestor with bacteria.
- Eukaryotes, evolved from archaea - Genetic
information in nucleus - cell wall (plants & fungi) - cell
membrane - Cytoplasm (cytosol & organelles)
Cell membrane surrounds the cytoplasm, Cytoplasm
consists of organelles and cytosol. Slide 21 and 22.
Model organisms
Metabolism, transcription, translation → Bacterium organelles: with membrane
- simple, small genome, cheap to grow, protein purification.
Organelles → yeast
- simple eukaryote, small genome, strong genetics (=the effect of mutation and deletion of nearly all
genes have been investigated for the cellular process), cheap to grow.
Cell movement → Protozoan (Dictyostelium) - Simple, small genome, strong genetics, cheap to grow.
Multicellular development → worm - major cell types, exact lineage of fertilized egg is known, 302
neurons all connections identified.
Early egg development → frog - Big eggs, outside mother, cell division without growth
Genetics → fly (drosophila melanogaster) - strong genetics, long history, cheap
Vertebrate (gewerveld) development → Zebrafish - strong genetics, translucent
Disease and behaviour → mouse - similar to human, cheap
Disease and behaviour → Human - very large dataset of naturally occurring mutants
Lecture 1 Linskens -> Chapter 4 P. 173-187 DNA & chromosomes
, Proteins are chains of amino acids
with different properties (charge,
size, etc.) which make the chain fold
in different, sequence specific, ways.
Two main folding patterns are alpha
helices and beta sheets. Folding
patterns combine to create protein
domains.
(< 1940) Heritable information: chromosomes.
Chromosomes appear to contain roughly equal amounts of protein and nucleic acid (DNA).
(1920) Heritable information (erfelijke informatie) can be transferred.
Molecules that can carry heritable information are present in S strain cells.
DNA carries the heritable information.
Genome: the totality of genetic information belong to a cell or organism; in particularly, the
DNA that carries this information.
DNA has 2’H and 3’OH 4 Bases in RNA: A, C, G and U
RNA has 2’OH and 3’OH 4 Bases in DNA: A, C, G, and T
A sugar + a base is called Nucleoside
A sugar + a base + a phosphate is called Nucleotide
You have mono-, di- and triphosphates, a phosphate makes a nucleotide negatively charges.
Functions of nucleotides:
They carry chemical energy in their easily
hydrolyzed phosphoanhydride bonds.
They combine with other groups to form
coenzymes.
They are used as specific signaling molecules
in the cell.
Lecture 1 van Haastert -> Chapter 1 P. 1-39 Origin of life and Introduction Cell Biology.
Characteristics of life:
Organization: Basic unit is a cell
Metabolism: Energy for synthesis complex compounds, Geheel van biochemische
omzettingen in de cellen van een orginisme.
Growth: Increase of materials and organelles.
Cell division: Increase of the number of cells.
Reproduction: Production of new individuals; leads to evolution.
External signals: Detection of environment
Adaptation: Adjustment to environment.
Reaction on external signals – Can be very different, from contraction when touched,
movement away from predators, or orientation of leaf to sunlight.
Our solar system has the optimal features for life The size of the planet matters; too small → no
atmosphere/ too big → no gas Temperature matters too.
History Evolution:
14 billion years ago : Big Bang.
5 billion years ago : Begin Earth-Sun solar system. (zonnestelsel)
4 billion years ago : First pre-DNA “life”. Very hot & acid + hotsprings ( =Hydrotermic springs
at the ocean floor with FeS peptides). After the emergence of replication mechanisms, a
membrane must have been formed by which individual units appeared ultimately developing
into free living cells. (free electrons, worked as katalyst → RNA)
3 billion years ago : First bacterial cells. Next big step: Photosynthesis
2 billion years ago : First unicellular eukaryotes (DNA ligt in de celkern in dit organisme).
Advantages unicellular: (unicellular organisms possess a high degree of complexity for one
cell)
● Large Surface/Volume ratio better for uptake of nutrients.
● Very fast growth
● Slow sedimentation, e.g. Diatomea stay longer in photonic zone.
● Less attractive for predators - Advantages multicellular (larger genomes)
● Move faster (flight from predators
● Graze larger volume + storage
● Differentiation, specialization, distribution of tasks.
1 billion years ago : Seperation plants, fungi and animals.
- today we recognize 37 animal groups the cambrian Explosion → new animals
- The biochemistry of all organisms has a common origin that was fixed during early evolution
- a human does not have more genes, one gene is just more complex
Model for the origin of life:
The model assumes the conditions of redox potential, pH and temperature gradient as it was present
in hydrothermal springs at the ocean floor. The words RNA era, RNP era (ribonucleo-protein) and DNA
era, are used to indicate that nucleic acid evolved by chemical means, first geo-chemical, then bio-
geochemical and finally biochemical.
After the emergence (ontstaan) of replication mechanisms, a membrane must have been formed by
which individual units appeared ultimately developing into free living cells Slide 10, 11 and 14.
,Cyanobacteria: also known as Cyanophyta, are a phylum of bacteria that obtain their energy
through photosynthesis. They are the only photosynthetic prokaryotes able to produce oxygen. The
name cyanobacteria comes from the color of the bacteria lit. The first Cyanobacteria were originate
tree billion years ago. Without the oxygen they produce we couldn’t life in that time. they have
sediment so they sink.
Eukaryote cells evolved from prokaryote cells by endosymbiosis of different organisms, The first
prokaryotes makes the cell and the second makes the mitochondrion, the defuse together. Slide 17
PROKARYOTES: NO nucleus, NO membrane-surrounded cell compartments, NO mitochondria, etc.
Animal cells and plant cells are eukaryotes.
Origin of multicellularity:
Cells stay together after cell division. Slide 20 and 21.
Individuals cells aggregate (een geheel ontstaan door verschillende elementen te
combineren). Slide 23.
1 billion years ago the first multicellular cell was here.
Advantages of multicellular is big size
Large mobility –flight from predators
Large organisms can ‘graze’ a larger surface
Large organisms and colonies can take up and store more nutrients for later use.
Differentiation into different cell types, allowing specialization and distribution of tasks.
Multicellular organisms have spatial (ruimtelijke) organization:
In the absence of spatial organization, randomly dividing cells will automatically form a filled sphere
in which: -competition between cells will be very large and
-cells in the center will starve.
Even very simple multicellular organisms have structural organization in filaments, surfaces or hollow
spheres.
Filamentous shape / Holllow sphere = rare (volvox: algae) Eukaryote cells evolved from
prokaryote cells by endosymbiosis of different organisms
There is a big different between prokaryote and eukaryote in protein targeting, secretion. In
prokaryote it is 35 and in eukaryote it is 430.
More “complex” organisms have more genes, Slide 31-33.
,After “Cambrian explosion” many new species evolved; by many mutations of excisting genes, but
not by many new genes.
•Genes associated with human disease can be found and studied in mice, flies, and often also in
yeast and slime mold.
•Medication for humans can be tested in mice.
Lecture 1 van Haastert -> Chapter 1 P. 1-39 introduction Cell Biology
Cell biology is a branch of biology that studies cells, this is done both on a microscopic and molecular
level. The smallest form of life is a cell, most organism are single cells and once in their life
multicellular organism were single cells.
Common to all cells: Slide 10 and 11.
•storage of information in DNA
•replication, transcription, translation (DNA -> RNA -> protein)
•each protein encoded by specific gene
•proteins are catalysts
Different among cells: Slide 13
•source of energy in plants and animals
•number of genes (500 to 31,000).
The 3 kingdoms of life
- bacteria = plastid
- Archaea, command ancestor with bacteria.
- Eukaryotes, evolved from archaea - Genetic
information in nucleus - cell wall (plants & fungi) - cell
membrane - Cytoplasm (cytosol & organelles)
Cell membrane surrounds the cytoplasm, Cytoplasm
consists of organelles and cytosol. Slide 21 and 22.
Model organisms
Metabolism, transcription, translation → Bacterium organelles: with membrane
- simple, small genome, cheap to grow, protein purification.
Organelles → yeast
- simple eukaryote, small genome, strong genetics (=the effect of mutation and deletion of nearly all
genes have been investigated for the cellular process), cheap to grow.
Cell movement → Protozoan (Dictyostelium) - Simple, small genome, strong genetics, cheap to grow.
Multicellular development → worm - major cell types, exact lineage of fertilized egg is known, 302
neurons all connections identified.
Early egg development → frog - Big eggs, outside mother, cell division without growth
Genetics → fly (drosophila melanogaster) - strong genetics, long history, cheap
Vertebrate (gewerveld) development → Zebrafish - strong genetics, translucent
Disease and behaviour → mouse - similar to human, cheap
Disease and behaviour → Human - very large dataset of naturally occurring mutants
Lecture 1 Linskens -> Chapter 4 P. 173-187 DNA & chromosomes
, Proteins are chains of amino acids
with different properties (charge,
size, etc.) which make the chain fold
in different, sequence specific, ways.
Two main folding patterns are alpha
helices and beta sheets. Folding
patterns combine to create protein
domains.
(< 1940) Heritable information: chromosomes.
Chromosomes appear to contain roughly equal amounts of protein and nucleic acid (DNA).
(1920) Heritable information (erfelijke informatie) can be transferred.
Molecules that can carry heritable information are present in S strain cells.
DNA carries the heritable information.
Genome: the totality of genetic information belong to a cell or organism; in particularly, the
DNA that carries this information.
DNA has 2’H and 3’OH 4 Bases in RNA: A, C, G and U
RNA has 2’OH and 3’OH 4 Bases in DNA: A, C, G, and T
A sugar + a base is called Nucleoside
A sugar + a base + a phosphate is called Nucleotide
You have mono-, di- and triphosphates, a phosphate makes a nucleotide negatively charges.
Functions of nucleotides:
They carry chemical energy in their easily
hydrolyzed phosphoanhydride bonds.
They combine with other groups to form
coenzymes.
They are used as specific signaling molecules
in the cell.
