DNA is one of the most vital components of a cell. In an animal or human cell, the role of DNA is immense. Starting from cell survival to transmission of genetic information, everything in a cell depends on DNA. This is why DNA is called the code of life.
But do plant cells have DNA? Yes, the cells in plants have DNA. But what role does DNA play in a plant cell?
Keep reading to discover all about the functions of DNA in a plant cell.
What is DNA, and what does it do?
DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is the genetic material in plants and animals. Almost all organisms contain DNA in their cells. It is located in the nucleus of every cell and is basically a macromolecule called nucleic acid.
DNA is a self-replicating material which carries genetic information from one cell to another. Most of the DNA in a cell is housed inside the nucleus, but some mitochondria or chloroplasts in plant cells may contain trace amount of DNA.
There are four chemical bases called adenine, guanine, cytosine, and thymine that store the information in DNA in the form of genetic code. These bases pair up with each to form base pairs. Adenine pairs with thymine, and cytosine pairs with guanine to form the base pairs. The bases are then united with a phosphate and sugar molecule to form a nucleotide. The nucleotides form a double helix pattern, which gives the shape of the DNA.
Do Plant Cells Have Their Own DNA?
Of course, plant cells have DNA. Anything living comprises of DNA. DNA is necessary for cellular development and maintenance. The nucleic acid DNA or deoxyribonucleic acid carries sets of instructions that bears the genetic code for life.
Plant cells cannot survive without DNA. Without DNA, there would be no transmission of genetic information. As a result, plants would cease to exist, even the transgenic ones. There would be no replication of DNA and the genetic information from one plant to another.
Besides, DNA allows the encoding of genetic information stored in a plant’s chromosome. This DNA undergoes replication and transcription and later paves the way for translation, which is necessary for cellular sustenance.
How is DNA Relevant to plants?
DNA is relevant to plants because of its importance in plant life and its necessity to synthesize other components for cellular development.
This nucleic acid called DNA contains sets of genetic codes that are required to form other cellular components like RNA or proteins. Proteins are responsible for providing structure and support to the cell, taking part in physiological functions, catalyzing metabolic reactions, and providing protection against pathogens. These proteins are the end result of translation, where RNA takes part in the synthesis of proteins. RNA originates from DNA in the process of transcription. As a result, the entire plant cell is dependent on DNA for survival.
The Function of plant DNA
Plant DNA has lots of functions. Just like the DNA of any living being, plant DNA performs similar functions.
A plant cell uses this DNA as its genetic substance. This DNA bears a set of coded instructions for the synthesis of proteins, RNA and for the transmission of traits. This set of coded instructions will determine what the sex of the plant will be, what will be its height, color, shape, and so on.
Besides, DNA is responsible for replication, which means copying of the genomic DNA into the respective cells. It is also necessary for transcription, which refers to the synthesis of RNA from DNA. This RNA, later on, forms proteins, which are necessary for cell survival. The coding regions in DNA code for genes which are basically the proteins.
DNA also bears genetic information for cell growth and division. It also plays an active role in information transfer and storage. Every time a cell divides, all of the cell’s information is copied. Crossing over in DNA molecule is responsible for recombination.
Overall, with so many functions, DNA can be called the blueprint or code of life.
Where is DNA Found in Plant Cells
DNA or deoxyribonucleic acid is located in the structure called the nucleus of the cell. The nucleus is called the brain or the controller of the cell. This structure houses DNA which is responsible for encoding genetic information.
The nucleus contains a bi-layered membrane and nuclear pores that are formed by protein complexes. DNA is located in the nuclear genome of a plant cell. However, some part of genetic material or DNA is located in the mitochondria, chromosome, and chloroplast.
Is the Plant DNA and Animal DNA the Same
Although their functions are the same, plant and animal DNA is not the same. The main difference between plant and animal DNA is due to their base sequence arrangement.
Both plant and animal DNA molecules are formed from the same four nucleotides, but the only difference lies in the order of the base sequences. The sequence of the bases decides on the proteins to be synthesized. The arrangement of the nucleotides will determine how the plant or animal will turn out to be and what traits it will possess.
Another differentiating point between plant and animal DNA is that plant DNA is slightly larger than animal DNA. Also, the isolation of plant DNA is more difficult than that of animal DNA.
Despite being so different from each other, both plant and animal DNA perform the same function, which is expression of hereditary characteristics and cellular development.
How Plant Cell DNA Grows Our Food
If you didn’t know, plant cell DNA is responsible for growing the food we eat. The process is called genetic engineering. Basically, the food we eat is called genetically engineered food, and it originates from plant cell DNA.
Genetically engineered (GE) foods are prepared using DNA from another plant or animal. The DNA in the food is modified using separate DNA. This separate DNA is obtained from a plant cell, according to a scientist’s opinion.
The result is a genetically modified food. Genetic engineering is a very advanced process in the modern world, and it has opened the doors to a lot of opportunities. You can now add a gene possessing your desired trait to an existing cell and enjoy all the benefits you want. Instead of selective breeding, this process allows you to choose a plant cell with the desired characteristics and breed them to produce offspring with the same characteristics.
An advantage of this process is that you can filter out all the unnecessary genes and only select the gene that you want to express. So, you can create more foods with selective traits at a faster pace.
Foods grown through this process from plant cell DNA tend to be more nutritious and safer. Since they are genetically modified, so there is absolutely no risk of diseases being transmitted. The crops grown are drought-resistant and require less use of pesticides. The food supply is extended with longer shelf life, and it takes less time to produce the food compared to selective breeding.
Overall, genetic engineering or genetic modification is an interesting process that can yield better results in food production from plant cell DNA in a limited amount of time.
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Conclusion
Bringing the discussion to the end, it can be said that plant DNA has a pivotal role in the transmission of hereditary characteristics. Plants use DNA as their genetic content, and this DNA is responsible for replication, transmission, and mutation.
Article Sources:
https://www.ancestry.com/c/dna-learning-hub/dna-function
https://arthritis-research.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13075-017-1464-0
https://www.quora.com/Do-plants-have-DNA