Biology · Class 12 · Chapter 5
Molecular Basis of Inheritance
13 lessons 102 min 1 simulations 10 practice questions
This chapter looks inside the gene: the structure and packaging of DNA, the experiments that proved DNA is the genetic material, and how information flows by replication, transcription and translation. It ends with the genetic code, gene regulation through the lac operon, the Human Genome Project and DNA fingerprinting, and it underpins the biotechnology chapters that follow.
What the exam asks
NEET repeatedly asks about double-helix numbers, the Griffith, Hershey–Chase and Meselson–Stahl experiments, continuous versus discontinuous synthesis at the replication fork, template versus coding strand, RNA processing in eukaryotes, properties of the genetic code and the roles of the lac operon genes. Common errors are mixing up the template and coding strand, misreading what a degenerate code means, and saying the inducer binds the operator.
Lessons
13 lessons · 102 min
1The DNA: structure of polynucleotidesNCERT § "The DNA"8 min2The double helix and central dogmaNCERT § "The DNA"6 min3Packaging of the DNA helixNCERT § "The DNA"7 min4The search for genetic materialNCERT § "The Search for Genetic Material"7 min5Properties of genetic material and the RNA worldNCERT § "The Search for Genetic Material" and § "RNA World"6 min6ReplicationNCERT § "Replication"8 min7TranscriptionNCERT § "Transcription"7 min8The genetic code and mutationsNCERT § "Genetic Code"11 min 1 sim9tRNA and translationNCERT § "Genetic Code" and § "Translation"8 min10Regulation of gene expression: the lac operonNCERT § "Regulation of Gene Expression"7 min11Human Genome ProjectNCERT § "Human Genome Project"7 min12DNA fingerprintingNCERT § "DNA Fingerprinting"7 min13Chapter reviewMust-know facts, traps and formulas13 min