Formation of Nucleic Acids

Vocabulary terms covering the chemical bonds, components, and types of nucleic acids based on the lecture transcript.

Phospho-di-ester bond

The bond that joins millions of nucleotides together to form polynucleotide chains.

Condensation

The reaction that joins nucleotides by connecting the $-OH$ group of one nucleotide's phosphate with the $-OH$ attached to the 3rd carbon of another nucleotide's pentose sugar.

Sugar-phosphate units

The repeating pattern that forms the backbone of a linear polymer of nucleotides.

Nucleic acids

Linear polymers of nucleotides that exist in two kinds depending on the type of sugar molecules involved.

DNA

A nucleic acid where the sugar molecule in the nucleotide is deoxyribose and the bases include Adenine, Thymine, Guanine, and Cytosine.

RNA

A nucleic acid where the pentose sugar is ribose and the bases include Adenine, Guanine, Cytosine, and Uracil.

Deoxyribose

The specific sugar molecule found in the nucleotides of DNA.

Ribose

The specific pentose sugar found in the nucleotides of RNA.

3rd carbon of pentose sugar

The specific location on the sugar molecule where the $-OH$ group is attached and reacts to form a phospho-di-ester bond.