Central Dogma
DNA contains very specific sequences of nucleotides which can act as a template for a strand of RNA to be produced through the process of transcription. The resulting strand of RNA then codes for a very specific sequence of amino acids. These can be joined together in the ribosome of the cell to produce a polypeptide chain in a process known as translation. Hence, all the information that is needed to make proteins initially comes from DNA molecules.[1]
Thus, the Central Dogma explains the flow of genetic information and can be expressed as: DNA - RNA - Proteins, where the genetic information that is stored in DNA, is passed to RNA and then used to make a useful protein within the cell.[2]
However, whilst this concept is true for the majority of our genes, recent studies have shown that not every gene found in DNA codes for a protein. In fact some sequences of DNA can code for various types of RNA.[3]
The Central Dogma is also essential to the RNA World Hypothesis.
References
- ↑ Hartl, D.L. and Ruvolo, M. (2012) Genetics. 8th Edition. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning. (pp. 22-23).
- ↑ Becker, W., Hardin, J., Bertoni, G. and Kleinsmith, L.J. (2012) Becker’s World of the Cell. 8th Edition. San Francisco: Pearson Benjamin Cummins. (p. 645)
- ↑ National Centre for Biotechnology Information (2007) Central Dogma of Biology: Classic View. Available at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Class/MLACourse/Modules/MolBioReview/central_dogma.html (Accessed: 28/11/14)