Nucleic Acids

monomers of nucleic acids

nucleotides

examples of nucleic acids

DNA: carries instructions for making proteins

RNA; carry out and interpret the instructions coded in the DNA

what makes up nucleotides

• pentose sugar - deoxyribose in DNA and ribose in RNA (OH group on C2 so has extra oxygen)

• Nitrogenous Base - Adenine and Guanine - purines having two ring structure a hexagon and pentagon

  Thymine , Uracil (RNA) or Guanine, they are pyrimidines having 1 ring - hexagon

• phosphate group - makes nucleic acid acidic

acronyms

PURe As Gold

purine

in PYRamids U C Tombs

pyrimidine

purine structure vs pyrimidine structure

what do nucleosides consist of

pentose sugar and nitrogenous base only

bonds of nucleotides

phosphodiester bond between sugar and phosphate group of next one

via a CONDENSATION REACTION

what makes up the sugar-phosphate back bone

alternating sugar molecules (deoxyribose in DNA) and phosphate groups. The sugar of one nucleotide connects to the phosphate of the next nucleotide by a phosphodiester bond

DNA full name

deoxyribonucleic acid

shape of DNA

double helix

draw DNA

what makes it possible to copy DNA

complimentary base pairing - Complementary base pairing makes DNA copying easier because each base has a matching partner (A with T, C with G). When DNA splits, the matching bases help build a new, identical strand.

what is complimentary base pairing

Complementary base pairing is the way nitrogenous bases in DNA pair up with each other following specific rules

what are two complimentary polynucleotide strands held together by

• hydrogen bonds between nitrogenous bases of adjacent nucleotides

• A only bonds to T via 2 H bonds

• C only bond to G via 3 H bonds

what does it mean by antiparallel

the two dna strands run in opposite directions 3’ to 5’ and the other 5’ to 3’

RNA full name

ribonucleic acid

what is RNA made up of

1 polynucleotide strand

does complimentary base pairing in RNA occur

yes

A binds to U

and c binds to G

types of rna

mRNA - messanger RNA takes DNA out of the cell and gives instructions

tRNA - transfer RNA; brings the correct amino acid to the ribosome

rRNA- ribosomal RNA, makes up ribosomes are helps form ribosomes structure and helps assemble proteins

(catalyzes peptide bond formation between amino acids)

How does complimentary base pairing make it possible to copy DNA with little errors

the way bases pair follow strict rules, only adenine can bond with thymine etc. etc.