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3 - Biomolecular Principles: Nucleic Acids

from PART 1 - MOLECULAR AND CELLULAR PRINCIPLES

W. Mark Saltzman
W. Mark Saltzman
Affiliation:
Yale University, Connecticut
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Summary

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After reading this chapter, you should:

  • Understand the importance of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in storing genetic information in cells.

  • Know the chemical structures of DNA and ribonucleic acid (RNA), and how these chemical structures are related to the functions of these biological macromolecules.

  • Understand the mechanism of DNA replication and its importance in cell division.

  • Understand the central dogma of molecular biology and the concepts of biological transcription and translation.

  • Understand that RNA exists in different forms in the cell, with each form contributing uniquely to the processes of transcription and translation.

  • Recognize the importance of gene cloning and how recombinant DNA technology has revolutionized biology and biomedical engineering (BME).

  • Understand the technique of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and how it is used to synthesize DNA.

  • Know the common gene delivery vectors that are used in human cells, as well as their advantages and disadvantages.

Prelude

One of the most fascinating and well-known stories in science is that of the discovery of the structure of DNA, which was accomplished by James Watson and Francis Crick in 1953, when both were young men working at Cavendish Laboratory in Cambridge, England. Watson's autobiographical book, The Double Helix, describes that period of accomplishment, but it retains its popularity because it deals directly with a more general theme. It might be the best description for modern readers of the magical quality of science and its appeal for young people seeking adventure, mystery, and fame.

Type
Chapter
Information
Biomedical Engineering
Bridging Medicine and Technology
 , pp. 82 - 140
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2009

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References

Sege-Peterson, K, Nyhan, WL, Page, T. Lesch-Nyhan disease and HPRT deficiency. In: Rosenberg, RN, Prusiner, SB, Dimauro, S, Barchi, RL, Kunkel, LM, eds. The Molecular and Genetic Basis of Neurological Disease. Boston: Butterworth-Heinemann; 1993:241–259.Google Scholar
Devlin, TM, ed. Textbook of Biochemistry with Clinical Correlations. New York: Wiley-Liss; 1997.
Kreeger, PK, Deck, JW, Woodruff, TK, Shea, LD. The in vitro regulation of ovarian follicle development using alginate-extracellular matrix gels. Biomaterials. 2006;27:714–723.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
García-Cardeña, G, Commander, J, Anderson, KR, Blackman, BR, Gimbrone, MA. Biomechanical activation of vascular endothelium as a determinant of its functional phenotype. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2001;98(8):4478–4485.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Robinson, R. RNAi therapeutics: How likely, how soon. PLoS Biol. 2004;2(1):18–20.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tofade, TS, Liles, EA. Intentional overdose with insulin glargine and insulin aspart. Pharmacotherapy. 2004;24(10):1412–1418.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Luo, D, Saltzman, WM. Synthetic DNA delivery systems. Nat Biotechnol. 2000;18:33–39.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Glick, BR, Pasternak, JJ. Molecular Biotechnology. Washington DC: ASM Press; 1994.Google Scholar
Watson, J. The Double Helix, a personal account of the discovery of the structure of DNA. New York: Touchstone; 2001.Google Scholar
Lodish, H, Berk, A, Zipursky, SL, Matsudaira, P, Baltimore, D, Darnell, JE. Molecular Cell Biology, 4th ed. New York: W. H. Freeman; 1999. This book is available free online at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) book collection Web site: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/books/bv.fcgi?call=bv.View.ShowTOC&rid=mcb.TOCGoogle Scholar
For more current information, consult the fifth edition of this book, which was published in 2003, or the fourth edition of a similar book, Molecular Biology of the Cell, by Alberts, et al. (Garland Publishing, 2002).Google Scholar

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