Group 1: Nucleic Acid Structure & Basics

DNA

Stores the genetic instructions for cellular work and is heritable

RNA

 Single-stranded nucleic acid

Nucleotide

Long polymers of repeating monomer subunits

Purine bases:

Adenine and guanine

Pyrimidine bases

Cytosine, Uracil, Thymine

Phosphodiester bonds

Link sugars in each chain of DNA

Polarity

Directionality (5’ - 3’ or N to C)

Genome

Entire set of unique DNA instructions found in a cell

Gene

Sequence of nucleotides on DNA

Mutation

Permanent changes in nucleotide sequence

Allele / alleles

Alternative forms of a gene that may lead to different traits

Mutagen

chemicals/radiation that disrupt the template to mess up DNA

replicatio