ABSTRACT
Although the macromolecules in the cell had been well documented before 1929, it was only an accidental discovery of a “transforming principle” in Streptococcus pneumoniae by Dr Griffith that set the world on the path to finally discover the structure of the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). The DNA is a polymer of nitrogenous bases that encodes and regulates all cellular/acellular structure and function, while controlling its own replication and expression. Ribonucleic acids (RNAs) and proteins are the products of DNA expression. This chapter describes the structures of DNA and RNA, and presents various techniques for DNA research and manipulation, from principles of nucleic acid extraction to sequencing techniques and genomic fingerprinting. It emphasizes the need for insight and understanding in the principles that govern DNA manipulations as the main drivers of innovation in biotechnology.
