Molecular Biology-basics

1. MOLECULAR BIOLOGY-
INTRODUCTION AND
BACKGROUND

2. Molecular Biology - Definition
 Molecular biology is the study of biology at a molecular level.
 Deals with the structure, function and interactions of the
macromolecules (e.g. proteins and nucleic acids) essential to life.
 It is an Interdisciplinary science- The field overlaps with
other areas of biology and chemistry, particularly
genetics and biochemistry

3. Beginning of Molecular Biology
 The Modern molecular biology begins in the 1930s with the
convergence of various, previously distinct biological
disciplines: biochemistry, genetics, microbiology, and virology.
 The term Molecular Biology was first coined
by Warren Weaver in 1938.
 Warren was the director of Natural Sciences
for the Rockefeller Foundation.

4. Watson and Crick discovers
DNA / Feb 28th 1953

5. Watson and Crick Builds a
Model DNA (7thMarch 1953)
Awarded Nobel Prize in 1962

7. Central Dogma ofLife
DNA RNA Protein
7

8. Nucleic acids
Nucleic acids are biopolymers, or large
biomolecules, essential for all known forms
of life.
Nucleic acids, which include DNA
(deoxyribonucleic acid) and RNA
(ribonucleic acid), are made from
monomers known as nucleotides.
Nucleotides are composed of a nitrogenous
base, a five-carbon sugar (ribose or
deoxyribose), and at least one phosphate
group.

9. Chromosomes
Chromosomes are thread-like
structures located inside the nucleus
of animal and plant cells.
Each chromosome is made of protein
and a single molecule of
deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA).
Passed from parents to offspring, DNA
contains the specific instructions that
make each type of living creature
unique.

10. Bacterial Chromosome
 The bacterial DNA contains ds
DNA arranged in circular form
1,000 microns in length
 The bacterial DNA is about
4,000 kb

11. Gene
Thegene-a segment within a very long strand of
DNA.
Genes are the basic units of hereditary.
Genes located on chromosome on its place or
locus.
Allele-a variant of the DNA sequence ata given
locus.
Each allele is inherited from a different parent.

12. The Genome
A genome is an organism's complete set of
genetic information, including all of its genes.
Each genome contains all of the information
needed to build and maintain that organism.
Encoded in the DNA (for some viruses, RNA).
In humans, a copy of the entire genome—more than
3 billion DNA base pairs—is contained in all cells
that have a nucleus.

13. Number of Chromosomes/Species
Species Number of chromosomes
Human 46
Chimpanzee & Gorilla 48
Rat 42
Fruit flies 8
Mango 40
Rice 24
Maize 20
Bacteria 1

14. Techniques of molecular biology
Molecular cloning
Polymerase chain reaction
Gel electrophoresis
Macromolecule blotting and probing-Southern blotting,northern
blotting, western blotting, eastern blotting
Microarrays

15. Gene Cloning

17. GEL ELECTROPHORESIS

19. DNA MICROARRAYS

20. Applications of Molecular Biology
Research
Diagnosis
Transplantation
Paternity
Forensic analysis
Gene therapy
Drug Design
……