Microbiology and Immunology

(Axel Boer) #1
Molecular biology and molecular genetics WORLD OF MICROBIOLOGY AND IMMUNOLOGY

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The central dogma of molecular biology, DNA to RNA to protein.

ochemical structure of macromolecules (nucleic acids, pro-
teins, lipids, and carbohydrates) and their interactions.
Genetic materials including DNA in most of the living forms
or RNA(ribonucleic acid) in all plant virusesand in some ani-
mal virusesremain the subjects of intense study.
The complete set of genes containing the genetic
instructions for making an organism is called its genome. It

contains the master blueprint for all cellular structures and
activities for the lifetime of the cell or organism. The human
genome consists of tightly coiled threads of deoxyribonucleic
acid (DNA) and associated protein molecules organized into
structures called chromosomes. In humans, as in other higher
organisms, a DNA molecule consists of two strands that wrap
around each other to resemble a twisted ladder whose sides,

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