Building Biological Molecules: Nucleic Acids

Flashcards based on key concepts from the lecture notes on nucleic acids, including definitions related to the structure and function of DNA and RNA.

Nucleotide

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

Deoxyribonucleotide

A nucleotide that contains deoxyribose sugar and is found in DNA.

Ribonucleotide

A nucleotide that contains ribose sugar and is found in RNA.

Phosphodiester bond

The covalent bond that links nucleotides together in a nucleic acid chain.

Complementary base pairing

The pairing of nitrogenous bases in DNA (A with T, and G with C) that allows DNA strands to be identical.

Antiparallel orientation

Refers to the opposite directionality of the two strands of DNA, one running 5' to 3' and the other 3' to 5'.

Transcription

The process of synthesizing RNA from a DNA template.

Translation

The process of synthesizing proteins based on the information contained in messenger RNA (mRNA).

Chargaff's rules

The principles that in a given species, the amount of adenine equals thymine, and the amount of cytosine equals guanine.

RNA Structure

Single-stranded polymer capable of forming complex structures due to base pairing.

DNA double helix

The structure formed by two DNA strands twisted around each other, stabilized by hydrogen bonds.

Base pairing rules

Rules that describe how nitrogenous bases pair with each other in DNA (A with T, G with C) and in RNA (A with U, G with C).