DTU Course number 27011
Introduction to Bioinformatics
David Ussery
Tuesday, 11 November, 2001 (part 2)
Link to the lecture notes
Link to the learning objectives

Self-test quiz


   1.    What is the MOST important contribution to DNA structure & curvature?






   2.    If a protein were to bind to the sequence below, where would be a good place to bend the DNA? (please explain your answer!)

5' TGCGGGAAAGTACATTTCGGAATCCCTGATGATATAAGCGCCCGGAGCGATCAAACGATACG 3'






   3.    Three questions about DNA compaction: A. How much is the DNA compacted in a typical cell? B. How long would the DNA double helix be, for a single human cell? C. What would be the distance of ALL the DNA stretched out in the B-DNA double helical form, for an average person? How many times would this stretch around the earth (circumference = 40,070 km)? How does this number compare with other distances (see "helpful facts below")?

Some helpful facts:

    * Humans have about 3,000,000,000 bp of DNA per genome.
    * The rise in the B-DNA helix is very close to 0.34 nm per bp.
    * 1 nm = 1x10-9 meters
    * Remember that humans have TWO copies of chromosomes per cell!
    * An average human contains about 0.5 grams of DNA.
    * Assume that DNA weighs about 1x10-21 grams/bp
    * The distance from the earth to the moon is 382,000,000 meters.
    * 1 Astronomical Unit ("AU", the distance from the earth to the sun) is 149,600,000,000 meters







DNA helix


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Last modified Wednesday, 15 August, 2001 by David Ussery