Nucleic Acids: Structure and Function of DNA and RNA

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering nucleotide structure, DNA and RNA characteristics, chemical bonds, and base-pairing rules.

Nucleotide

A monomer consisting of three main parts: a pento sugar with $5$ carbon atoms, a nitrogenous base containing carbon and nitrogen, and a phosphate group.

Polyucleotide

A long chain and polymer formed when nucleotides join together through condensation reactions.

Phosphodiester bond

A bond that links nucleotides together, formed when the phosphate group of one nucleotide reacts with the sugar of another, releasing one molecule of water.

Sugar phosphate backbone

A continuous chain of alternating phosphates and sugars formed when many nucleotides join together.

Hydrarolysis reactions

Reactions in which water is added to break phosphodiesta bonds and degrade polyucleotides back into individual nucleotides.

Nucleic acid

Any molecule composed of one or more polyucleotide chains, such as single-stranded RNA or double-stranded DNA.

Double helix

The structural shape of DNA resembling a twisted ladder, formed by two polyucleotide strands wrapped around each other.

Deoxyibbos

The pento sugar found in DNA nucleotides that is attached to a phosphate group on one side and a nitrogenous base on the other.

Purines

Larger nitrogenous bases composed of $2$ carbon rings, encompassing adanine and guanine.

Pyramidines

Smaller nitrogenous bases composed of only $1$ carbon ring, encompassing cytosine and thymine.

Complimentary base pairing

The pairing of a larger purine base with a smaller pyramidine base to maintain a constant distance between the two sugar phosphate backbones.

Antiparallel

The arrangement of the two strands in a DNA molecule where they run in opposite directions, with one flipped upside down relative to the other.

Adanine

A purine base with $2$ carbon rings that pairs with thymine in DNA by forming $2$ hydrogen bonds.

Thymine

A pyramidine base with $1$ carbon ring that pairs with adanine in DNA via $2$ hydrogen bonds.

Guanine

A purine base with $2$ carbon rings that pairs with cytosine in DNA by forming $3$ hydrogen bonds.

Cytosine

A pyramidine base with $1$ carbon ring that pairs with guanine in DNA via $3$ hydrogen bonds.

Ribos

The pento sugar component found within RNA nucleotides.

Uricil

The nitrogenous base present in RNA that replaces thymine as the fourth possible base.

DNA

A double-stranded nucleic acid that stores heritable genetic information coding for proteins and passes it from one generation to the next.

RNA

A single-stranded nucleic acid that uses the genetic information from DNA to synthesize proteins.