DNA Replication Song

A song about DNA Replication, based on Backstreet Boys' "I Want It That Way."

Lyrics originally written by these guys http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIZpb93NYlw (adapted by Mr. Hsu).

Online song performed by and Powerpoint slide show done by a simple high school science teacher named Mr. Hsu (live song performed by Mr. Moore and Mr. Hsu).

mp3 available:
http://c3po.barnesos.net/~wakkonat/shhs/dnarep-song-full.mp3

This song and video have been made solely for educational purposes. Its level of depth and detail into the process of DNA Replication are aimed at High School Biology students (at least the ones I teach). If you find any errors or omissions (i.e. I didn't mention Primase), this is due to the fact that I'm not teaching college-level Biology AND I'm being constrained by describing such a complex biochemical process through a fairly old pop song with incredibly repetitive lyrics.

Mr. Moore and I actually performed this song as a duet for out students in class the day before spring break. If you're lucky, you might find a video of such a live performance somewhere in the vast internet (quite a few of them were recording me singing it in class, after all). This video is a result of me taking a simple digital camera and aiming it at my computer to try and record the performance my students experienced (so sorry for the crude recording and poor quality).

I have recorded an mp3, and if I have time, I will find a place to upload it for public download, so that other Biology students can listen and study for their tests on DNA Replication. Also, if I have time, I may upload a better version of this video (powerpoint slide show and song), but teachers so rarely have time when we're doing things like writing tests, grading homework, and making parody songs for our students to actually enjoy what they are learning...

Lyrics:

Deoxyribonucleic acid
Is made of two strands
Which twist into a double helix

So then the strands come apart
Nitrogen bases - they start
To unzip by DNA helicase

2 H-Bonds! Between adenine and thymine
3 H-Bonds! Between cytosine and guanine
(but) They're weak bonds!
The sugar-phosphate form the strongest bond (called)
Phosphodiester bonds

DNA polymerase builds the new
Strand from the 5' to 3' direction

2 H-Bonds! Between adenine and thymine
3 H-Bonds! Between cytosine and guanine
(but) They're weak bonds!
The sugar-phosphate form the strongest bond (called)
Phosphodiester bonds

Now I can see that it's replicating
In a way that's most, interesting (yeah!)
No matter the distance the leading strand
Is followed by the lagging one!

Finally, the ligase seals up all the breaks
A new, a new, a new DNA.....
AND IT STARTS AGAIN

Oh how I love Biology
It's better than Chemistry
And next time I have to go pee I know
What's happening inside of me

DNA! it has the code that holds all my genes
DNA! it's much more simpler than what it seems
DNA! and now that I know more Biology
I can say what's happening inside of me

Now I know what's happening inside of me

Category:

Education

Tags:

• DNA
• DNA Replication
• Replication
• Song
• DNA Replication Song
• DNA Song
• Science
• Biology
• Education
• Biology Song
• Education Song

[3basketballgirl17]

you said that you teach high school biology so that's why there were some omissions but i'm taking biology at my high school and we need to know a lot more smaller details such as:

purines & pyrimidines, polymerase, RNA primase, primers, okazaki fragments. telomeres, etc ...

why is our teacher making us memorize all these details when there are other high school biology classes that don't need to?

.. by the way, nice video :)

[scienceteacherhsu]

@3basketballgirl17

Many high schools have different levels of biology. I, myself, teach 3 different levels, where in one of them, I don't teach the smaller details, such as purines, pyrimidines, primase, okazaki fragments, etc. However, in 2 other levels, I do teach those. Thus, it's really a matter of which songs I make for which of my classes, but if you read carefully, you would have seen that I took this song from other people....

[bAby34bOO]

I have a question. Why is it 2 hydrogen bonds between adenine and thymine,but it's 3 hydrogen bonds in cytosine and guanine? I thought they would both me 2 hydrogen bonds? I'm confused.

[scienceteacherhsu]

@bAby34bOO

It is simply based on the way the nitrogen base is molecularly structured. Getting further into why would required more chemistry than you would need to know for DNA Replication. Just know that the adenine pairs with thymine, because they both want 2 H-bonds. Meanwhile, cytosine pairs with guanine because they both want 3 bonds. You can mix and match, because the bond numbers won't match up well...

[10christianoronaldo]

just a pointer, i think DNA polymerase runs 3 to 5..

[scienceteacherhsu]

@10christianoronaldo

DNA polymerase BUILDS the NEW strand from a 5' to a 3' direction. Because strands run anti-parallel to each other, DNA polymerase reads the template strand from the 3' to 5' direction. It's very easy to get the two confused...

[Ayapapaya123]

you guys just made studying for my biology exam SO MUCH BETTER.

and I agree- I love biology

[candygivesmestrength]

Hey, what kind of toaster did you record this with?

[spock4450]

Got this from my bio student teacher, and yea........ -_-

[sunnydays622]

Test on this tomorrow.

I UNDERSTAND NOW.

[xantheyellow]

My Biology Honors teacher showed this to us in class.

[raymanlegy]

@3basketballgirl17 You'll know when you take a university biology course.

[kristimazing]

Thanks to this song... I aced my ap bio exam. :D

[AriaInTheSky]

You, I love.

[TheSamra225]

tomorow is my biology paper.. this song is gonna help me alot

[MyMidnightThunder]

My Biology teacher showed this to me. She's gone to the other side of the planet, but this song will always remind me of her :)

[OriginalRipndip]

So good