Skip to main content
Remove advertising and get 10 GB! of disk space for only $9.95 USD per month or $109.95 USD per year (plus local taxes).
Moodle
Home

Refresher Course in Nucleic Acids

The proposed course aims to provide essentials of chemistry and biology of two very important class of biomolecules: nucleic acids (DNA/RNA) and proteins. The course allows to decipher: how structural features are translated into biological functions; how highly organized and selective chemical reactions are adopted that allows DNA to replicate or dictates step-wise synthesis of specific sequence of proteins; how organic chemistry tools in combination with enzymes were ingeniously applied to determine sequences of DNA and proteins and how chemical modifications could be done to mimic similar biological properties. The course also includes modern techniques, development of biomolecular probes as high-throughput detection of biomolecules, single nucleotide polymorphisms and disease diagnosis. Overall, the course falls within the domain of organic chemistry and chemical biology.



Intended Audience : For chemistry, Biochemistry and Biotechnology students
Prerequistes : Basic knowledge in organic chemistry
Industry Support : All major pharmaceuticals and Biotech companiesThis image is a clean, science-themed digital poster for a course titled “Refresher Course in Nucleic Acids.” On the left side, there are colorful atomic models representing four key chemical elements -Carbon (C) in yellow, Hydrogen (H) in pink, Oxygen (O) in green, and Nitrogen (N) in blue- each illustrated with circular electron orbits around a central nucleus, symbolizing atoms. On the right side, in bold dark text, it says: “Refresher Course in Nucleic Acids” Below that, there’s a pink rounded rectangular label that reads: “Batch 9 Biochemistry.” At the bottom right, smaller black text states “Completely Online-Flexible Timings -Only for Working Professionals.” The background is light beige, giving the whole design a modern, minimal

Introduction to Nucleic Acids and Structure of DNA

Each person’s DNA is unique, and it is possible to detect differences among individuals within a species on the basis of these unique features. DNA analysis has many practical applications, including identifying criminals (forensics), determining paternity, tracing genealogy, identifying pathogens, researching archeological finds, tracing disease outbreaks, and studying human migration patterns. In the medical field, DNA is used in diagnostics, new vaccine development, and cancer therapy. It is often possible to determine predisposition to diseases by sequencing genes.

Sometimes an innocent person is erroneously convicted of a crime and sent to jail. Between 2000 and 2015, evidence from DNA was used to exonerate over 250 innocent people. Twenty of those people were on death row after being convicted of a murder they didn’t commit.

This refresher course makes you learn the basic of Nucleic Acids and indepth nuances of DNA and its structure.

Structure of RNA and Function of Nucleic Acids

 

​RNA and Functions of Nucleic Acids

 A related type of nucleic acid, called ribonucleic acid (RNA), comes in different molecular forms that play multiple cellular roles, including protein synthesis. 

What does RNA do?

RNA, in one form or another, touches nearly everything in a cell. RNA carries out a broad range of functions, from translating genetic information into the molecular machines and structures of the cell to regulating the activity of genes during development, cellular differentiation, and changing environments.

RNA is a unique polymer. Like DNA, it can bind with great specificity to either DNA or another RNA through complementary base pairing. It can also bind specific proteins or small molecules, and, remarkably, RNA can catalyze chemical reactions, including joining amino acids to make Proteins

All the RNA in cells are themselves copies of DNA sequences contained in the genes of a cell's chromosomes. Genes that are copied—"transcribed"—into the instructions for making individual proteins are often referred to as "coding genes." The genes that produce RNAs used for other purposes are therefore called "noncoding RNA" genes.

In this module we learn the importance of RNA and how  RNA molecules assemble proteins and modify other RNAs as well as how  RNA molecules regulate gene expression.