BNFO 300 
Molecular Biology Through Discovery
Questionnaire on notes: DNA Structure
(please press SUBMIT button when finished)
Fall 2017  


My advice on the matters for the day (as listed in the calendar):

DNA
  • DNA Structure: You might just skim Section A and B of the notes, but try to understand Figure 5 (Study questions 3 through 6 may help). As for Section C, do whatever's necessary to gain a basic understanding of X-ray diffraction and respond to Study Questions 7 and 8. One or more of the links in tis section may do it for you. Certainly consider thetutorial on X-ray diffraction (see below).
     
  • Diffraction -- distance vs spacing: This tutorial addresses what is the primary difficulty people have in understanding diffraction as a tool to determine structure.
     
  • Build your own DNA: This simple investigation will allow you to recreate what Jim Watson did to come up with antiparallel, complimentary strands of DNA.It won't tax you too much.
     
  • Problem Sets 3 and 4: You can look over Problems 3.4 and 4.2 if you like. We'll work on them in class.


I. Basic Information

  1. Your name 
II. Old business (no need to repeat anything you've said in a previous questionnaire)
  1. Perutz et al (1965)
    Anything further you'd like to discuss regarding the issues presented by the article Perutz et al (1965) and its companion?

     
  2. Problem Set 3
    Anything further you'd like to discuss regarding Problem Set 3?
    (Of course, you'll be getting individual feedback on what you handed in)

     
  3. How to create a Bibliography
    Anything further you'd like to discuss regarding building a focused bibliography?
III. DNA Structure
  1. How far have you gotten in the notes DNA Structure? Refer, perhaps, to the last study question you addressed (e.g. SQ12).

     
  2. Have you tried your hand at building your own DNA? If so, how did it work out?

     
  3. Consider how comfortable you are with the following topics (in the notes DNA Structure):
    • The tetranucleotide hypothesis and why if true it would make it impossible for DNA to be the genetic material
    • The Chargaff rules and how they were found
    • How the double slit experiment works
    • How the helical structure of DNA and internucleotide distances can be discerned from Franklin and Gosling's x-ray photograph (did the notes on diffraction do any good?)
    • The biological significance of Watson and Crick's model and how they arrived at it (model building)

IV. Miscellaneous
Any other comments, questions, suggestions, or concerns you may have? Finding a mentor? A problem to focus on?

Thanks!

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