Genetic Material: DNA Structure and Replication

This lecture covers the central dogma of molecular biology, starting with the discovery of DNA as the transforming agent in living cells. It explores the genetic code, the structure of DNA, and the process of DNA replication, emphasizing the key enzymes and stages involved. The history of molecular biology, from Frederick Griffith's experiments to the confirmation of DNA's role by Avery, MacLeod, and McCarty, is discussed. The lecture also delves into the Meselson-Stahl experiment, which confirmed the semi-conservative nature of DNA replication. Various concepts such as genes, operons, and the different DNA polymerases are explained, along with the topological constraints in DNA and the compaction of chromosomes.