Overview of Nucleic Acids and DNA Structure
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These flashcards cover key concepts related to nucleic acids, their structure, and function, essential for understanding molecular genetics.
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18 Terms
Nucleic Acids
DNA and RNA, known for carrying genetic information.
Nucleotide
The repeating structural unit of DNA and RNA, composed of a phosphate group, pentose sugar, and nitrogenous base.
Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA)
A type of nucleic acid made up of nucleotides, crucial for genetic information.
Phosphate Group
A component of nucleotides that gives them an acidic nature; identified by Friedrich Miescher.
Pentose Sugar
A 5-carbon molecule found in nucleotides; can be deoxyribose in DNA or ribose in RNA.
Nitrogenous Base
Molecules that are part of nucleotides, categorized into purines and pyrimidines.
Purines
A category of nitrogenous bases that includes adenine (A) and guanine (G).
Pyrimidines
A category of nitrogenous bases that includes cytosine (C), thymine (T), and uracil (U).
Nucleoside
The precursor of a nucleotide formed when a nucleoside is phosphorylated.
Phosphodiester Bonds
The linkages between nucleotides in a polynucleotide strand formed through the phosphate component.
Complementary Base Pairing
The specific pairing of nucleotides in DNA, A with T and G with C.
Antiparallel Strands
The orientation of the two DNA strands running in opposite directions, one 5’ to 3’ and the other 3’ to 5’.
Hydrogen Bonds in DNA
Weak bonds between complementary nitrogenous bases, stabilizing the double helix structure.
RNA Structure
Similar to DNA, but with ribose sugar instead of deoxyribose and uracil instead of thymine.
Denaturation
The process by which DNA strands separate without breaking under heat or alkali.
Renaturation
The process of reformation of base pairs in DNA as temperature decreases after denaturation.
Hybridization
The pairing of single-stranded DNA or RNA with complementary sequences.
tRNA, mRNA, rRNA
The three main types of RNA; transfer RNA, messenger RNA, and ribosomal RNA, each with specific functions.
Note 
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