Every single living organism has deoxyribonucleic acid, but their cells vary. Some viruses use RNA though. The deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA, found in organisms contain all the instructions necessary for creating different proteins that have different functions, but the molecule cannot leave the nucleus; this is where ribonucleic acid, or RNA, comes into play (Hall, 7). Deoxyribonucleic acid has multiple different components that come together in a structure that differs to the structure of ribonucleic acid (Hall, 9). Ribonucleic acid is very versatile with its build and functions. In the lives of DNA and RNA, each goes through processes known as replication, translation, meiosis and mitosis (Hall, 16, 18). During one of these processes, mutations can occur; one of these mutations can be the cause of oncogenic viruses (Hall, 53). RNA is an essential molecule that deals with coding, decoding, regulation and expression of genes (Epigenetics Modifications and Viral Infections, 2007-2014). When it comes down to epigenetic alterations in oncogenic viruses, it leads to the discovery of how viruses can infect our cells through inheritance such as some cancers. Deoxyribose and ribose are two nucleic acids that provide clues in the epigenetic alterations in early oncogenic viruses. Since DNA has the instructions for making the proteins, but it has to be highly protected, it doesn’t leave the nucleus where it is mostly found (Hall, 6). DNA’s function is to be a long-term storage and transmission of the genetic information (DNA vs RNA, 2014). Copies of certain instructions needed for proteins can be made in the form of RNA. It’s not an exact copy of what is found in DNA, but RNA can travel out of the nucleus with the instructions. RNA make... ... middle of paper ... ... with some differences. Works Cited ---. “DNA vs RNA.” Difference and Comparison. Diffen, n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2014. . ---. “Epigenetics Modifications and Viral Infections.” Frontiers in Genetics. Frontiers Media S.A, 2007-2014. Web. 31 Mar. 2014. . Flanagan, J.M. “Host Epigenetic Modifications by Oncogenic Viruses.” Nature Publishing Group, 19 Dec. 2006. Web. 31 Mar. 2014. . Hall, Linley Erin. “Understanding Genetics DNA and RNA.” New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc., 2011. Print. 01 Apr. 2014. ---. “RNA: The Versatile Molecule.” University of Utah, 2014. Web. 31 Mar. 2014. .
In order to do this a polymer of DNA “unzips” into its two strands, a coding strand (left strand) and a template strand (right strand). Nucleotides of a molecule known as mRNA (messenger RNA) then temporarily bonds to the template strand and join together in the same way as nucleotides of DNA. Messenger RNA has a similar structure to that of DNA only it is single stranded. Like DNA, mRNA is made up of nucleotides again consisting of a phosphate, a sugar, and an organic nitrogenous base. However, unlike in DNA, the sugar in a nucleotide of mRNA is different (Ribose) and the nitrogenous base Thymine is replaced by a new base found in RNA known as Uracil (U)3b and like Thymine can only bond to its complimentary base Adenine. As a result of how it bonds to the DNA’s template strand, the mRNA strand formed is almost identical to the coding strand of DNA apart from these
"Epigenomics Fact Sheet." National Human Genome Research Institute. N.p., 7 May 2012. Web. 04 Apr. 2014. .
1. DNA is a nucleic acid that carries the genetic information in the cell and is capable of self-replication and synthesis of RNA. DNA consists of two long chains of nucleotides twisted into a double helix and joined by hydrogen bonds between the complementary bases adenine and thymine or cytosine and guanine. The sequence of nucleotides determines individual hereditary characteristics.
...Glass, Non-coding RNAs as regulators of gene expression and epigenetics, 2011, oxford journals, 90 (3), p430-440
Viruses are the smallest, simplest living things, smaller than bacteria, and the cause of some of the deadliest diseases known to humanity. They are composed chiefly of nucleic acid wrapped in a coat of protein and are able to multiply only from within living cells. As with all other organisms, the virus depends for its ability to obtain energy and carry out the other processes necessary to sustain life, upon its stock of DNA, the hereditary material that makes up the genes, the "instructions" that determine the traits of every living organism. What is interesting about viruses, however, is that their genetic stock is very meagre indeed, so much so that reliance upon it alone cannot enable them to survive. Nonetheless, viruses do persist from one generation to the next, as if they were alive. How this is managed, as it clearly is in both plants, animals and human beings, bears importantly upon the ways in which "life", at least in the case of viruses, may legitimately b...
The DNA of the Epstein-Barr virus is a double helix that is wrapped in a protein capsid. The capsid is surrounded by an envelope made from lipids, which it takes from the host cell’s plasma membrane. The entire virus is approximately 120 nm to 180 nm in diameter, while the DNA, which contains all the genetic information of the virus, is about 192,000 base pairs long (Wikipedia, 2014). The viral envelope contains glycoproteins, which are essential to infection of the host cell (Odumade, 2011). Many believe that infection initi...
DNA, Deoxyribonucleic Acid, is the basic structure for all life, it is the blueprint, the instruction manual, on how to build a living organism. DNA is made up of four nitrogen bases, adenine, thymine, cytosine, and guanine which are connected by sugar-phosphate bonds. Through a process called Protein Synthesis, the nitrogen bases are the code for the creation of amino acids. Essentially, DNA makes amino acids, amino acids make proteins, proteins make organisms. This process has been taking place for much longer than scientists have been able to document. Those scientists are called geneticists and their field is genetics.
The genetic information of an organism allows for the continuation of life. This genetic information is passed from parent to offspring via the molecule deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). The structure of the DNA molecule provides a solution for the replication of the existing DNA molecule and furthermore the transmission of heritable information to the next generation. The scope of this essay will discuss how the molecular structure of DNA allows for DNA to replicate and transmit heritable information from one generation to the next.
DNA is the foundation of our bodily systems. When trying to understand DNA, it’s essential to understand how it is used in the construction of proteins to develop our bodily characteristics. The DNA strands are located in the nucleus of all cells which make up the body. But when delving deeper into the understanding of DNA, an important factor comes into play, known as genes.
It is a polymer and is made of the monomers called nucleotides. The nucleotides or the monomers join together in a covalent bond to form nucleic acids. Specifically, there are different types of nucleotides that from nucleic acids: C (cytosine), A (adenine), G (guanine), T (thymine) and U (uracil). The different types of nucleic acids are ribonucleic acid (RNA) and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). DNA is made up of two strands of cytosine, adenine, guanine and thymine in a double helix pattern while RNA is a single strand of cytosine, adenine, guanine and uracil. These two nucleic acids are found in cells and the cell’s nucleus. In the body, nucleic acids play many important roles like capturing and transferring chemical energy. One of the most important nucleic acids has are storing and transmitting hereditary/genetic information from parent to their children. DNA mainly stores all genetic information of cells but some RNA stores information in viruses. DNA stores information on what cells should do such as its life cycle. RNA does things like extracting information from DNA for many different functions and can also regulate what some genes do. But, RNA mainly transfers the information. The different types of RNA transfer information to different places of the cell. One type, mRNA transfers information from the nucleus to the cytoplasm while tRNA transports information from amino acids
National Institute of General Medical Sciences. (2010). "21st-Century Genetics." The New Genetics, p. 74-83. Retrieved from http://publications.nigms.nih.gov/thenewgenetics/chapter5.html
The nucleus contains genetic material that controls all the activities within a cell. A nucleus is made up of D...
...ound in our bodies. The trick is that the virus “gets confused” and incorporates the fatal molecule into its growing RNA strands which leads to the prevention of RNA synthesis and thus the entire viral replication.
Discoveries in DNA, cell biology, evolution, and biotechnology have been among the major achievements in biology over the past 200 years, with accelerated discoveries and insight’s over the last 50 years. Consider the progress we have made in these areas of human knowledge. Present at least three of the discoveries you find to be the most important and describe their significance to society, health, and the culture of modern life. DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is a self-replicating molecule or material present in nearly all living organisms as the main constituent in chromosomes. It encodes the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms and many viruses.
First, DNA Replication takes place. The double helix DNA splits into two strands, and each separated strand acts as a new strand of DNA with its own complete genome. Second, DNA is transcribed to mRNA during a process called Transcription. The mRNA carries the information needed for protein synthesis. Lastly, Translation occurs where mRNA directs protein synthesis with the assistance of the tRNA. (ATDBio, n.d.)