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Molecular Genetics: DNA 466 Views


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Description:

In this video from our course on molecular genetics, learn all about animal cloning.

Language:
English Language

Transcript

00:14

We are here with Dr. Ruth Tennen to talk about molecular genetics, here at Shmoop Global Headquarters in Mountain View, California.

00:23

Dr. Ruth here is a PhD, trying to cure cancer.

00:26

So if you ever want to make your parents really proud of you, follow in her footsteps.

00:31

I can't think of much better on earth to do with your life...

00:36

Let's just jump right in to Lesson 1 here.

00:38

We're gonna cover genetic code and DNA/RNA structure.

00:43

So, Dr. Ruth, what does DNA stand for? Like...I can't even spell it...

00:52

So DNA stands for deoxyribonucleic acid.

00:54

So all the letters are in there somewhere.

00:55

Nucleic acid is basically any polymer or any group of molecules in your cells that are composed of nucleotides.

01:03

So it has three parts. It has a base made of nitrogen...

01:05

...it has a phosphate group... and it has a sugar.

01:07

Okay, so we gotta back you up.

01:09

Polymer...that's many mer...

01:12

Yes, many mer. That's exactly it.

01:14

You have one unit of molecule, and then you string a bunch of them together. So it's a monomer to a polymer...exactly, just like beads.

01:22

There are a couple other five-dollar words. What is a phosphate group?

01:26

I'm picturing... you go to that old-style Coca-Cola stand with a hot dog and a shake...

01:32

So a phosphate group basically has a phosphorus and some oxygen atoms in it.

01:36

And it forms the backbone of the DNA, so basically it's all along the outside of the DNA molecule...

01:41

...and they link up together to form the chain.

01:44

And a nitrogen base...like...nitrogen's a molecule?

01:50

Nitrogen's another atom.

01:51

And what is its base? The ATCG is adenine, thytozine, cytosine, guanine... if I remember from high school a million years ago...

02:01

If you can, break down the word for us. What is "deoxy"?

02:05

...No longer oxy?

02:06

That's exactly it. It means it's missing an oxygen.

02:09

So basically, in the sugar molecule that's part of the nucleotide...

02:12

...in RNA, there's an extra oxygen compared to DNA.

02:15

So deoxy basically means missing an oxygen.

02:18

Got it. And "ribo"... that's something to do with Eve and Adam...?

02:24

So ribose is just a type of sugar.

02:26

And then nucleic...?

02:30

Yeah, so it's the same idea. The nucleus is made up of these nucleotides.

02:37

So deoxyribo tells us that it's DNA, not RNA, 'cause the sugar is missing an oxygen molecule.

02:47

Okay, so that's what DNA stands for. That's what comprises DNA. But what is DNA? Like, what does it do for us? How does it function...other than to confuse high school children?

02:59

It's actually super important. It's basically the biological blueprint that makes us who we are.

03:02

So it contains all our genetic information. We get half of our DNA from our mom, half from our dad.

03:07

And then every time our cells divide, the DNA gets split into the two cells.

03:11

So it kind of keeps going through all the different cells.

03:15

And what is its primary function? Like, walk us through the creation of the code of proteins and how that kind of builds a human being.

03:26

So in basic terms, you start with the DNA. You get 23 chromosomes from your mom, 23 from your dad. So that's 46 total.

03:33

The DNA codes for an intermediate called RNA, through a process called transcription.

03:39

And the RNA gets turned into proteins, ultimately, and proteins are kind of the workhorses in your cells.

03:43

They do all the work, they form the structures in your body, they do all the enzyme processes.

03:47

So they give you all your traits, they can have things to do with your personality, your appearance, all sorts of things.

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