Nucleic acids

What are the two nucleic acids?

DNA and RNA

What is the main function of nucleic acids?

Storing and transferring genetic information

What is the main function of DNA?

Stores genetic information

What is the main function of RNA?

Transfers genetic information and helps use it to make proteins

What sugar is found in RNA?

Ribose

What sugar is found in DNA?

Deoxyribose

What is the monomer of nucleic acids?

Nucleotide

What are the polymers of nucleic acids?

DNA and RNA

What are the three parts of a nucleotide?

A nitrogenous base, a 5-carbon pentose sugar, and a phosphate group

What is a pentose sugar?

A 5-carbon sugar

What is the nitrogenous base in a nucleotide?

The nitrogen-containing part represented by A, T, C, G, or U

Which nitrogenous bases are found in DNA?

Adenine (A), thymine (T), cytosine (C), and guanine (G)

Which nitrogenous bases are found in RNA?

Adenine (A), uracil (U), cytosine (C), and guanine (G)

What is the difference between DNA and RNA bases?

DNA contains thymine (T), while RNA contains uracil (U)

What part of a nucleotide gives nucleic acids their negative charge?

The phosphate groups

Why are DNA and RNA negatively charged?

Their phosphate groups carry negative charges

What are purines?

Nitrogenous bases with a double-ring structure

Which bases are purines?

Adenine (A) and guanine (G)

What are pyrimidines?

Nitrogenous bases with a single-ring structure

Which bases are pyrimidines?

Cytosine (C), thymine (T), and uracil (U)

How can you remember purines?

Adenine and guanine are purines; both have double rings

How can you remember pyrimidines?

Cytosine, thymine, and uracil are pyrimidines; they have single rings

What is the organization of genetic information from largest to smallest?

Cell → nucleus → chromosomes → genes → DNA → bases

Where are chromosomes found in a cell?

In the nucleus

What do chromosomes contain?

Genes

What are genes made of?

DNA

What are DNA bases?

A, T, C, and G

What does the sequence of DNA bases contain?

Genetic information

What is a phosphodiester bond?

A bond that connects nucleotides together by linking their sugars through phosphate groups

What does the sugar-phosphate backbone consist of?

Alternating sugar and phosphate groups

Where are the nitrogenous bases located relative to the backbone?

The bases project inward from the sugar-phosphate backbone

What forms the backbone of DNA and RNA?

Sugar and phosphate groups

What connects the two DNA strands?

Hydrogen bonds between complementary bases

How do DNA bases pair?

A pairs with T, and G pairs with C

How many hydrogen bonds are between A and T?

Two hydrogen bonds

How many hydrogen bonds are between G and C?

Three hydrogen bonds

Why does DNA pair a purine with a pyrimidine?

To maintain a consistent width of the DNA double helix

What is complementary base pairing?

The specific pairing of bases: A with T and G with C in DNA

What is the structure of a DNA molecule?

A double helix

What is the structure of RNA usually?

A single strand

Why are hydrogen bonds useful between DNA strands?

They hold the strands together but are weak enough to allow the strands to separate when needed

Why can DNA strands separate despite being held together?

The hydrogen bonds between complementary bases can be broken relatively easily

When might DNA strands need to separate?

When DNA needs to be copied or used to make RNA

What is the difference between a nucleotide and a nucleic acid?

A nucleotide is one building block; DNA or RNA is a polymer made of many nucleotides

What is the difference between a nitrogenous base and a nucleotide?

A base is only one part of a nucleotide; a nucleotide also contains a sugar and phosphate group

What is the difference between a phosphodiester bond and a hydrogen bond in DNA?

Phosphodiester bonds form the backbone by connecting nucleotides; hydrogen bonds connect complementary bases between the two strands

What is the basic sequence from nucleotide to DNA?

Nucleotides join together through phosphodiester bonds to form a DNA strand

What is the relationship between DNA and proteins?

DNA stores the genetic information used to determine the amino acid sequence of proteins

What does DNA store?

Genetic information

What does RNA help transfer?

Genetic information from DNA toward protein production

What is the monomer of carbohydrates?

Monosaccharide

What are examples of carbohydrates?

Glucose, starch, cellulose, and glycogen

What are three major functions of carbohydrates?

Energy/raw materials, energy storage, and structural compounds

What does carbohydrate energy storage mean?

Carbohydrates can store energy that can later be used by cells

What does carbohydrate structural function mean?

Some carbohydrates provide structure, such as cellulose in plants

What are the building blocks of lipids?

Glycerol and fatty acids

What is another lipid-related building block mentioned in the review?

Cholesterol

What are some functions of lipids?

Energy storage, membranes, hormones, and other biological roles

What type of bond is found in fats?

Ester bonds

What are examples of lipids?

Fats, phospholipids, steroids, and waxes

What is the monomer/building block of proteins?

Amino acids

What are the four levels of protein structure?

Primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary

What are major functions of proteins?

Enzymes, defense, transport, structure, signaling, and receptors

What are examples of proteins from the review?

Digestive enzymes, membrane channels, insulin, and actin

What bond connects amino acids in proteins?

Peptide bonds

What are the three major classes of biological macromolecules discussed in this review?

Carbohydrates, proteins, and nucleic acids, with lipids also reviewed as a major biological macromolecule group

What is the key comparison between nucleic acids and proteins?

Nucleic acids are built from nucleotides, while proteins are built from amino acids