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What are the two types of nucleic acids?
DNA and RNA
What does DNA stand for?
reoxyribonucleic acid
What does RNA stand for?
ribonucleic acid
How do DNA and RNA differ?
By the type of pentose sugar
H in DNA
OH in RNA
What is the function of DNA?
It stores genetic information
It replicates and transmits the information when a cell or organism reproduces
What does DNA code for?
The order in which amino acids are to be joined in a protein (translation)
What is the function of RNA?
To act as an intermediary molecule that conveys DNA’s instructions regarding the amino acid sequence of a protein out of the nucleus (transcription)
What is the monomer of both DNA and RNA polymers?
Nucleotides
What reaction joins nucleotides together to form DNA and RNA polymers?
A dehydration synthesis reaction
What are the three components of a nucleotide?
5 carbon sugar (deoxyribose in DNA and ribose in RNA)
Phosphate group
Nitrogenous base (raises the pH to keep our blood at 7.4)
What are the 4 types of nitrogenous bases in DNA?
Adenine (A)
Thymine (T)
Guanine (G)
Cytosine (G)
What are the complimentary base pairs in DNA?
A with T
G with C
What is different about the nitrogenous bases in RNA?
The base uracil (U) replaces the base thymine
What are the complimentary base pairs in RNA?
A with U
G with C
What are purines and what are the purine nitrogenous base pairs?
Purines have two rings in their structure
Adenine and guanine are purines
What are pyrimidines and what are the pyrimidine nitrogenous base pairs?
Pyrimidines have one ring in their structure
Thymine, cytosine, and uracil are pyrimidines
What do you call the start of the sugar phosphate backbone?
3’ (three prime)
What do you call the end of the sugar phosphate backbone?
5’ (five prime)
What is the structure of DNA called?
Double helix
How would you compare the parts of a ladder to DNA?
DNA is a long, two stranded molecule with a shape like a ladder that has been twisted into a spiral. The sides of the DNA ladder are made up of sugar and phosphate, called the sugar phosphate backbone
The rungs of the ladder are paired nitrogenous bases that fit together like puzzle pieces called complimentary base pairs
How are the two strands of DNA held together and where do the bonds form?
The two strands are held together by hydrogen bonds between base pairs
What is the structure of RNA?
It is single stranded
How is RNA formed?
Through complimentary base pairing with one DNA strand in the double helix
What are the three types of RNA?
mRNA (messenger)
tRNA (transfers the amino acids)
rRNA (ribosomal, makes up ribosomes)
It is stable because of the hydrogen bonds between the two strands
It has to be stable because it stores vital genetic information
Is RNA stable or unstable and why?
It is not as stable (it’s flimsy) because of it’s shape (no double helix or hydrogen bonds holding it together)
Its function is short lived, so it doesn’t need to be stable
Eg. Bacteria has RNA because its life span is so short and they aren’t complex organisms
Other than convey information about the sequence of amino acids, what other functions do nucleotides have?
They can act as energy carriers
What is ATP?
Adenosine triphosphate
How is ATP formed?
When adenine is bonded to ribose, which makes adenosine, then the adenosine is modified by the addition of three phosphate groups instead of one
What is the function of ATP?
Currency of cells using energy
How is ATP created?
In the mitochondria, glucose is broken down a certain way so the energy is converted into ATP molecules (this is called cellular respiration)
Why is ATP a high energy molecule?
Because it is super unstable, particularly the last two phosphate bonds are unstable and easy broken
Is the breakdown of ATP worth it, even though it costs energy to break a bond?
The breakdown of ATP to ADP (adenosine triphosphate to adenosine diphosphate) results in an overall release of free energy available for cells
What is the equation for ATP?
ATP = Pi + ADP + energy
What is the energy released from the breakdown of ATP used for?
The energy is used to synthesize macromolecules and power other cellular processes (muscle cells, contraction, nerve cells, impulses, and more)
What reaction happens to breakdown ATP?
hydrolysis
What reaction happens to create ATP?
Cellular respiration (NOT dehydration synthesis)
