Lecture #6 Schedule Cell Biology

Significance of ribosomal proteins, RNA

Weak bonds: electrostatic (ionic, hydrogen), van der Waals forces; hydrophobic=1/2 total

Effects of distance, water on strengths of bonds; implications for information processing

Equilibria (don't worry about equations)

Implications of imperfect recognition (mutation, bacterial adjustment to sugars available, etc.)

Chernobyl experience

History of DNA recognition: Griffith; Avery, McCarty, MacLeod; Hershey, Chase, Messelson, Stall; Chargaff's rules;Watson, Crick, Franklin, Wilkins

RNA versus DNA structures

1 mistake in a billion for DNA replication requires proofreading

Sense and antisense strands; overlapping genes in viruses

Eucaryotic versus procaryotic transcription and translation (alternate splices, simultaneous, etc.)

Gene amplification, mRNA stability, genetic regulation, etc. modify outputs

Degeneracy of code

tRNA structure; suppressor tRNA

Catalytic RNA; impact on "origin of life" question

transcription synthesizes 5'->3' amino->carboxy