Cell division occurs in the nucleus of eukaryotic cells by mitosis and meiosis
Replacement of the entire lining of your small intestine
Liver cells only divide for repairing
Nerve cells do not divide
Chromosomes
Long and thin for replication and decoding
Become short and fat prior mitosis → easier to separate due to compact form
Meiosis (reduction division)
During the production of sex cells (gametes) in animals
In spore formation which precedes gamete production in plants
Haploid gametes (sperm ovum) - sexual reproduction
DNA in a cell replicates only once, but cell divides twice
The Cell Cycle
Interphase
G1: Protein synthesis and growth (10 hours)
Preparation for DNA replication (e.g. growths of mitochondria)
Differentiation, only selected genes are used to perform different functions in each cell
S: DNA Replication (9 hours)
G2: short gap before mitosis, organelles and proteins for mitosis are made (4 hours)
G0: Resting phase (nerve cells)
M-phase
Mitotic division of the nucleus (Prophase, Metaphase, Anaphase, Telophase)
Cytokinesis (division of the cytoplasm)
Interphase
Phase with highest metabolism (mitochondria have a high activity)
Muscles never complete the whole cycle
Mitosis
Process of producing 2 diploid daughter cells with the same DNA by copying their chromosomes (clones)
Chromosomes can be grouped into homologous pairs
Mitosis occurs in
Growth
Repair
Replacement of cells with limiting life span (red blood, skin cells)
Asexual replacement
Controlled process, cancers result from uncontrolled mitosis of abnormal cells
Division of the nucleus (karyokinesis) and the cytoplasm (cytokinesis) are two processes of mitosis
Division of cytoplasm after nucleus. Delayed if cells have more than one nucleus (muscle)
Active process that requires ATP
Prophase
Chromosomes become shorter and thicker by coiling themselves (condensation)
This prevents tangling with other chromosomes
Nuclear envelope disappears/breaks down
Protein fibres (spindle microtubules) form
Centrioles are moving toward opposite poles forming the spindle apparatus of microtubule
Metaphase
Centrioles at opposite poles
Chromosomes line up on the equator of the spindle
Centromeres (kinetochores) attach to spindle fibres
Kinetochores consist of microtubules and "motor" proteins which utilise ATP to pull on the spindle
Anaphase
Spindle fibres pull copies of chromatids to spindle poles to separate them
Mitochondria around spindle provide energy for movement
Telophase
Chromatid at the pole
Sets of chromosomes form new nuclei
Chromosomes become long and thin, uncoil!
Nuclear envelopes form around the nucleus
Genes, DNA, RNA
Nucleic acids carry the genetic code that determines the order of amino acids in proteins
Genetic material stores information, can be replicated, and undergoes mutations
Differs from proteins as it has phosphorus and NO sulphur
DNA Deoxyribonucleic Acid
Nucleotides are smaller units of long chains of nucleic acids. Each nucleotide has
A pentose sugar (deoxyribose in DNA, ribose in RNA)
A phosphate group
An organic base which fall into 2 groups,
Purines (double rings of C and N - bigger)
Adenine or Guanine
Pyrimidines (single ring of C and N - smaller)
Thymine or Cytosine
Base pairing by weak hydrogen bonds
Adenine-Thymine 2 H- bonds
Cytosine-Guanine 3 H- bonds
Chains are directional according to the attachment between sugars and phosphate group
They are antiparallel which is essential for gene coding and replication
DNA molecule has 2 separate chains of nucleotides hold together by base pairing / DNA normally twist into a helix (coil) / forms a double helix
Ribonucleic Acid (RNA)
Ribose instead of deoxyribose
Single chain (shorter than DNA - lower molecular mass)
Base difference: Uracil instead of Thymine. Adenine, Guanine and Cytosine are the same
Ribosomal RNA (rRNA)
Located in the cytoplasm - ER
Reads mRNA code and assembles amino acids in their correct sequence to make a functional protein (translation)
Messenger RNA (mRNA)
Commutes between nucleus and cytoplasm
Copies the code for a single protein from DNA (transcription)
Carries the code to ribosomes in the cytoplasm
Transfer RNA (tRNA)
In the cytoplasm
Transfer amino acids from the cytoplasm to the ribosomes
The Genetic Code
DNA codes for assembly of amino acids / forms a polypeptide chain (proteins - enzymes)
The code is read in a sequence of three bases called
Triplets on DNA e.g. CAC TCA
Codons on mRNA e.g. GUG AGU
Anticodons on tRNA e.g. CAC UCA
(must be complementary to the codon of mRNA)
Each triplet codes for one amino acid / single amino acid may have up to 6 different triplets for it due to the redundancy of the code / code is degenerate. Some amino acids are coded by more than one codon
Same triplet code will give the same amino acid in virtually all organisms, universal code
We have 64 possible combinations of the 4 bases in triplets, 43
No base of one triplet contributes to part of the code next to it, non-overlapping
Few triplets code for START and STOP sequences for polypeptide chain formation eg START AUG and STOP UAA UAG UGA
DNA Replication (Semi-Conservative Replication)
Happens during Interphase 'S'
Separate the strands, a little at a time to form a replication fork
Events:
Unwinding / Enzyme DNA helicase separates 2 strands of DNA by breaking hydrogen bonds
Semi-conservative replication / each strand acts as a template for the formation of a new strand
Free DNA molecules join up to exposed bases by complementary base pairing
Adenine with Thymine (A=T 2 -H bonding)
Cytosine with Guanine (CΞG 3 -H bonding)
For the new 5' to 3' strand the enzyme DNA polymerase catalyses the joining of the separate nucleotides
"All in one go" → completed new strand
For the 3' to 5' strand DNA polymerase produces short sections of strand but these sections have to be joined by DNA ligase to make the completed new strand. Specific base pairing ensures that two identical copies of the original DNA have been formed
Transcription: DNA to mRNA
DNA in nucleus unzips - bonds break
Single template strand of DNA used for mRNA (triplet on DNA = codon for amino acid on mRNA)
Enzyme RNA polymerase joins nucleotides together
Free RNA nucleotides are assembled according to the DNA triplets (A-U / C-G / T-A) mRNA bases are equivalent to the non-template DNA strand
Start and stop codons are included
Introns (Non-coding) and exons (coding) DNA sequences are present in the primary mRNA transcript. Introns are removed before the mRNA is translated so that exons are only present in the mature mRNA transcript mRNA moves into cytoplasm and becomes associated with ribosomes
Translation: mRNA to Protein via tRNA
Translation is the synthesis of a polypeptide chain from amino acids by using codon sequences on mRNA tRNA with anticodon carries amino acid to mRNA associated with ribosome
"Anticodon - codon" complementary base pairing occurs
Peptide chain is transferred from resident tRNA to incoming tRNA tRNA departs and will soon pick up another amino acid
Requirement for Translation
Pool of amino acids / building blocks from which the polypeptides are constructed
ATP and enzymes are needed
Complementary bases are hydrogen-bonded to one another
Structure involved in translation
Messenger RNA (mRNA)
Carries the code from the DNA that will be translated into an amino acid sequence
Transfer RNA (tRNA)
Transfer amino acids to their correct position on mRNA strand
Ribosomes
Provide the environment for tRNA attachment and amino acid linkage
DNA and Inheritance
Reactions in cells is referred to as cell metabolism
A sequence of chemical reactions is called a metabolic pathway
Different forms of the same gene are alleles
A gene is the length of DNA that carries the code for a protein (enzyme)
Enzyme effect the cell's metabolism
Visible changes are described with the phenotype
The phenotype is influenced by the metabolic pathway
Therefore
DNA controls enzyme production
Enzymes control metabolic pathways
Metabolic pathways influence the phenotype of an organism
Gene Mutations
Deletion, reading frame shifts
Substitution, one base replaced by another
Duplication, repetition of part of the sequence
Addition, Addition extra base
Change in one or more nucleotide bases in the DNA
Change in the genotype (may be inherited)
Cystic Fibrosis - Defective Gene
Mutation causes the deletion of 3 bases in DNA. One amino acid (phenylalanine) is not coded for in the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Regulator CFTR protein
Faulty CFTR protein cannot control the opening of chloride channels in the cell membrane
Results in production of thick sticky mucus, especially in lungs, pancreas and liver
Organs cannot function normally and infection rate increases
Phenylketonuria (PKU) - Defective Gene
Gene mutation in DNA coding for the enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase
Phenylalanine hydroxylase not produced
Amino acid phenylalanine cannot be converted to the amino acid tyrosine
Tyrosine is necessary to produce the pigment melanin
Phenylalanine collects in the blood and causes retardation in young children
Managed by controlling diet to eliminate proteins containing phenylalanine
Disease is tested by drops of blood taken from the baby