Nucleic Acids

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)

is a nucleotide polymer in which each of the monomers contains deoxyribose, a phosphate group, and one of the heterocyclic bases adenine, cytosine, guanine, or thymine.

Ribonucleic acid ( RNA)

a nucleotide polymer in which each of the monomers contains ribose, a phosphate group, and one of the heterocyclic bases adenine, cytosine, guanine, or uracil.

FRIEDRICH MIESCHER

discovered nucleic acids in 1869 while studying the nuclei of white blood cells

JAMES DEWEY WATSON and FRANCIS CRICK

Coined DNA molecule as three-dimensional double helix structure

Type of strand DNA

Double helix w/ anti-parallel & complementary strands

Type of Strand RNA

Single strand

Length of Strands DNA

Longer

Length of Strands RNA

Shorter

Location of DNA

Found in the nucleus, with a small amount

also present in mitochondria.

Location of RNA

Forms in the nucleolus, and then moves to specialized regions of the cytoplasm depending on the type of RNA formed.

NUCELOTIDE BUILDING BLOCKS

Pentose Sugar, Nitrogenous bases, Phosphate

Primary Function Of DNA

Replicates and stores or the blueprint genetic information

Primary Function Of RNA

Converts the genetic information contained within DNA to a format used to build proteins

Sugar Unit of DNA

Deoxyribose (deoxygenated at C2)

Sugar Unit of RNA

Ribose

Nucleic acid

An unbranched polymer containing nucleotides

Heterocyclic bases found in DNA

Adenine, cystosine, guanine, thymine

Heterocyclic bases found in RNA

Adenine, cystosine, guanine, uracil

Sugar + Base

Nucleoside

Nucleoside + Phosphate

Nucleotide

Eukaryotes

any cell or organism that possesses a clearly defined nucleus.

Prokaryotes

any organism that lacks a distinct nucleus and

other organelles due to the absence of internal membranes.

PurGA

Purine , Adenine , Guanine

PyCUT

Pyrmidine, Thymine, Cystosine, Uracil

Primary nucleic acid structure

is the sequence in which nucleotides are linked

together in a nucleic acid.

Nucleic Acid Backbone

Phosphate, Sugar

DNA Back Bone

Phosphate, Deoxyribose

RNA Back Bone

Phosphate, Ribose

DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACID (DNA)

the molecule that carries genetic information for the development and functioning of an organism.

DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACID (DNA)

made of two linked strands that wind around each other to resemble a twisted ladder— a shape known as a double helix.

DNA Double Helix Forms

A, B , Z DNA

Helix Turn Of A DNA

Right Handed

Helix Turn Of B DNA

Right Handed

Helix Turn Of Z DNA

Left Handed

Major Grove of A DNA

Narrow and Deep

Major Grove of B DNA

Wide and Deep

Major Grove of Z DNA

Flat

Minor Grove of A DNA

Wide and Shallow

Minor Grove of B DNA

Narrow and Deep

Minor Grove of Z DNA

Narrow and Deep

A-DNA is Present mostly

In DNA-RNA hybrids or RNA RNA double stranded region

B-DNA is Present mostly

Chromosomal DNA

Z-DNA is Present mostly

In sequence of alternating purines and pyrimidines

Complementary bases

are pairs of bases in a nucleic acid structure that can hydrogen-bond to each other.

Complementary DNA Strands

are strands of DNA in a double helix with base pairing such that each base is located opposite its complementary base. Wherever G occurs in one strand, there is a C in the other strand.

DNA Base

A = T and G = C

RNA Base

A = U and G = C

Adenine (Abbreviation)

A

Guanine (Abbreviation)

G

Cytosine (Abbreviation)

C

Thymine (Abbreviation)

T

Adenine (Nucleoside)

Deoxyadenosine

Guanine (Nucleoside)

Deoxyguanosine

Cytosine (Nucleoside)

Deoxycytidine

Thymine (Nucleoside)

Deoxythymidine

Adenine (Nucleotide)

Deoxyadenosine 5’-monophosphate “dAMP”

Guanine (Nucleotide)

Deoxguanosine 5’-monophosphate “dGMP”

Cytosine (Nucleotide)

Deoxycytidine 5’-monophosphate “dCMP”

Thymine (Nucleotide)

Deoxythymidine 5’-monophosphate “dTMP”

RIBONUCLEIC ACID (RNA)

a nucleic acid present in all living cells that has structural similarities to DNA. An RNA molecule has a backbone made of alternating phosphate groups and the sugar ribose.

Adenine (Nucleoside)

Adenosine “A”

Guanine (Nucleoside)

Guanosine “G”

Cytosine (Nucleoside)

Cytidine “C”

Uracil (Nucleoside)

Uridine “U”

Adenine (Nucleotide)

Adenosine 5’-monophosphate “AMP”

Guanine (Nucleotide)

Guanosine 5’-monophosphate “GMP”

Cytosine (Nucleotide)

Cytidine 5’-monophosphate “CMP”

Uracil (Nucleotide)

Uridine 5’-monophosphate “UMP”

Heterogeneous nuclear RNA (hnRNA)

is RNA formed directly by DNA transcription. Post-transcription processing converts the heterogeneous nuclear RNA to messenger RNA.

Small nuclear RNA (snRNA)

is RNA that facilitates the conversion of heterogeneous nuclear RNA to messenger RNA. It contains from 100 to 200 nucleotides.

Messenger RNA (mRNA)

is RNA that carries instructions for protein synthesis (genetic information) to the sites for protein synthesis.

Ribosomal RNA (rRNA)

is RNA that combines with specific proteins to form ribosomes, the physical sites for protein synthesis.

Transfer RNA (tRNA)

is RNA that delivers amino acids to the sites for protein synthesis. Transfer RNAs are the smallest of the RNAs, possessing only 75–90 nucleotide units.

DNA replication

is the biochemical process by which DNA molecules produce exact duplicates of themselves.

DNA helicase

separate double-stranded DNA into single strands allowing each strand to be copied.

DNA polymerase

is the enzyme responsible for replicating DNA — for using a template strand to construct a complementary sequence of nucleotides, creating a double-stranded DNA molecule.

Transcription

the process by which DNA directs the synthesis of hnRNA/mRNA molecules that carry the coded information needed for protein synthesis.

Translation

is the process by which mRNA codons are deciphered and a particular protein molecule is synthesized.

Ribosome

is an rRNA–protein complex that serves as the site for the

translation phase of protein synthesis.

UAA UGA UAG

Stop

AUG

Start

DNA mutation

is a permanent alteration in the DNA sequence that makes up a gene.

Chromosomal mutation

are alterations that affect whole chromosomes and whole genes rather than just individual nucleotides.

Mutagen

is a substance or agent that causes a change in the structure of a gene.