DNA and RNA Summary

Genetic Material: DNA and RNA

• DNA and RNA are nucleic acids.
• Nucleotides consist of a sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base.
• Polymer of nucleotides is Nucleic Acid, same as proteins are the polymer of peptides and complex carbohydrates are the polymer of monosaccharide's. Composed of C, H, O, N and P atoms

Functions of Nucleic Acids

• DNA is the genetic blueprint for the organism, encoding information for cell activities.
• RNA links genetic information from DNA to protein, interacting with protein-synthesizing machinery to produce polypeptides.

DNA vs. RNA

• DNA: Deoxyribonucleic acid; RNA: Ribonucleic acid.
• DNA: 2 strands (double helix), deoxyribose sugar. RNA: 1 strand (helix), ribose sugar.
• Difference lies in the O attached to the 2' Carbon on the sugar.

Nitrogenous Bases

• DNA: Adenine (A), Thymine (T), Cytosine (C), Guanine (G).
• RNA: Adenine (A), Uracil (U), Cytosine (C), Guanine (G).
• A-T and G-C in DNA; A-U and G-C in RNA.
• Pyrimidines: single ring (U, T, C). Purines: double ring (A, G).
• C, A, and G are in both DNA and RNA; T only in DNA, U only in RNA.

DNA Facts

• Human genome: >3 billion nucleotide bases (A, T, C, G).
• Order contains instructions for making an organism; every three bases code for an amino acid.
• Estimated 20,000 – 25,000 human genes.
• 99.9% of nucleotide bases are the same in all people.

Genes

• Short DNA segments coding for proteins.
• Result of a specific sequence of nucleotides.
• Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes, one from each parent.
• Defined as a region of DNA that controls a hereditary characteristic.

DNA Hierarchy

• Genome (complete genetic information) > Chromosome > Gene > Nucleotide