MCDB 1150 Class 12: Nucleic Acids - DNA and RNA

Macromolecules

Large molecules, including proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, and lipids.

Nucleic Acids

Biomolecules that include DNA and RNA, essential for genetic information.

Complementary Base Pairing

The specific pairing of nitrogenous bases in DNA; Adenine pairs with Thymine, and Cytosine pairs with Guanine.

Antiparallel Strands

Refers to the opposite orientation of the two strands in a DNA double helix.

Phosphodiester Bond

A chemical bond that links nucleotides in a nucleic acid chain.

Hershey-Chase Experiment

An experiment that demonstrated DNA is the genetic material using bacteriophages.

Nucleotide

The basic building block of nucleic acids, consisting of a phosphate group, a sugar, and a nitrogenous base.

Deoxyribose

The sugar present in DNA nucleotides.

Ribose

The sugar present in RNA nucleotides.

DNA Polymerization

The process of forming DNA from nucleotides, requiring energy and catalyzed by DNA polymerase.

Chargaff's Rule

The observation that in DNA, the amount of Adenine equals Thymine, and the amount of Guanine equals Cytosine.

Primary Structure of Nucleic Acids

The sequence of nucleotide bases in a nucleic acid strand.

Hydrogen Bonds