1. Biological Molecules - DNA And RNA Flashcards
What is a single nucleotide called?
A mononucleotide.
What are the components of a nucleotide?
Pentose sugar, a nitrogenous organic base (these are C, T, U, A and G) and phosphate group.
What reaction joins together the components of a nucleotide?
Condensation reaction.
What are the 2 different types of bases and what are they?
- Purines - Guanine and adenine
- Pyrimidines - Cytosine and thymine
What protects the more chemically reactive bases hidden inside the double helix?
The phosphodiester backbone.
How is the structure of DNA related to its function? (4)
-Very stable - passes from generation to generation without changing
-Two strands - hydrogen bonds allows the strands to be separated so code can be read and copied for DNA replication and protein synthesis
-Large - carries a lot of information
-Code protected - genetic code protected from harm from chemical and physical dangers
Where is the phosphodiester bond found in DNA?
Between the deoxyribose sugar of one mononucloetide and the phosphate group of another.
What reaction forms the phosphodiester bond?
A condensation reaction.
What does the continued linking of mononucleotides form?
A polynucleotide.
What joins together the two polynucleotide strands in DNA?
Hydrogen bonds, between complementary bases.
What do the hydrogen bonds linking the organic base pairs form?
Bridges (rungs) between the phosphodiester uprights.
How many hydrogen bonds are there between cytosine and guanine?
3.
What does a higher proportion of C—-G pairings in a DNA molecule mean?
The DNA molecule will be more stable.
