Alternative Approaches to Molecular Biology

In this session some variations to the standard mechanisms of DNA replication, transcription and translation are discussed. The minor differences in DNA replication, transcription and translation in eukaryotes, prokaryotes, and viruses are discussed as a way to more fully understand the important processes involved in the copying and expression of genomes.

Learning Objectives

• To understand how DNA replication is different for singled-stranded circular, double-stranded circular and double-stranded linear chromosomes.
• To understand how replication of large DNA genomes, small DNA genomes, and RNA genomes differs.
• To understand how transcription is different for prokaryotes and eukaryotes, with an emphasis on splicing in eukaryotes.
• To understand how translation is different for prokaryotes and eukaryotes, with an emphasis on polycistronic messages in prokaryotes.
• To understand how a virus can encode the needed proteins in a compact genome.