1. Genetic Engineering I

2. Nucleotides Building blocks of DNA and RNA DNA –Genetic material –“information” storage RNA –Structural and information expression –Catalysis –Probable first biopolymer

3. Terminology Bases –Nitrogen containing ring Nucleoside –Base attached to sugar Nucleotide –Nucleoside + phosphate Nucleic Acid –Polymers of nucleotides

5. A nice, convenient numbering scheme? Polymerize at 5’ and 3’ positions DNA is deoxy at 2’ position

6. Common Bases DNA vs. RNA

8. A=T or A=U pairs G=C pairs What is effect of high GC content?

9. B DNA Other forms exist

10. Biotechnology The discovery of restriction endonucleases (enzymes) was essential to the development of biotechnology. –Cleave at specific DNA sequences hundreds to thousands of bp separation –Usually recognizes a palindromic sequence –Likely part of a host defense mechanism * –Allows you to cut and paste pieces of DNA

12. New England Biolabs http://www.neb.com/ rebase

14. Plasmids

15. Today: Satellite DNA from E. coli picked from gel