Chapter 4 of 15
Syllabus
Molecular Basis of Inheritance — Syllabus
Maharashtra Board · Class 12 · Biology
What Molecular Basis of Inheritance covers in Maharashtra Board Class 12 Biology: 4 topics, for the 2026-27 session.
42 questions28 flashcards5 concepts
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4 Topics · Maharashtra Board Class 12 Biology · 2026-27
Topics in Molecular Basis of Inheritance
1
Discovery and Structure of DNA
- Friedrich Miescher (1869) first isolated 'nuclein' from white blood cells in pus, which was later identified as DNA
- DNA is composed of nucleotides containing deoxyribose sugar, phosphate group, and nitrogenous bases (A, T, G, C)
- Watson-Crick double helix model: antiparallel strands held together by hydrogen bonds (A=T, G≡C)
2
DNA as Genetic Material - Experimental Proofs
- Griffith's experiment (1928): Transformation principle in Streptococcus pneumoniae (R-strain to S-strain)
- Avery, McCarty, and MacLeod (1944): Proved DNA is the transforming principle using enzyme treatments
- Hershey-Chase experiment (1952): Used radioactive ³²P (DNA) and ³⁵S (protein) to prove DNA is genetic material
3
DNA Packaging
- Prokaryotic packaging: Circular DNA forms loops and supercoils with help of HU proteins and DNA gyrase
- Eukaryotic packaging: DNA wraps around histone octamers to form nucleosomes (beads-on-string)
- Histone octamer contains 2 each of H2A, H2B, H3, and H4; H1 acts as linker
4
DNA Replication
- Semiconservative replication: Each new DNA molecule has one old and one new strand
- Meselson-Stahl experiment (1958) proved semiconservative nature using ¹⁵N and ¹⁴N isotopes
- Process steps: Initiation at origin → Unwinding by helicase → Primer synthesis → DNA synthesis
Key Concepts
Friedrich Miescher first discovered nuclein (DNA)DNA must be compacted to fitSemiconservative replication occurs in SProcess of copying genetic information fromThe genetic code is a triplet
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What are the important topics in Molecular Basis of Inheritance for Maharashtra Board Class 12 Biology?
Key topics in Molecular Basis of Inheritance include Discovery and Structure of DNA, DNA as Genetic Material - Experimental Proofs, DNA Packaging, DNA Replication. Study these first, then practise questions on each for the Maharashtra Board Class 12 board exam.
How should I revise Molecular Basis of Inheritance for the Maharashtra Board Class 12 board exam?
Learn the core ideas first, then work through the 42 practice questions on Molecular Basis of Inheritance. Revise definitions regularly and use flashcards for quick recall before the exam.
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