2.1.3 Nucleotides and Nucleic Acids

Question 1

What is DNA?

Answer 1

Deoxyribose nucleic acid- is a double stranded polymer that carries the information for protein synthesis. Contains the pentose sugar deoxyribose.

Question 2

what is RNA?

Answer 2

Ribonucleic acid- is a single stranded polymer of a nucleotide molecule, containing the pentose sugar ribose. There a 3 types of RNA- play an important role in protein synthesis.

Question 3

what is an organic nitrogenous base?

Answer 3

A nitrogen containing organic compound that is a constituent of nucleotides. There are 5 of these.

Question 4

What are nucleotides?

Answer 4

They are monomers. Basic building block of a nucleic acid molecule, made up of 3 biological molecules bonded together covalently (condensation reaction). contains pentose sugar molecule, organic base A, C, G, T, U.

Question 5

What are pyrimidine’s?

Answer 5

they are the organic nitrogenous bases thymine, cytosine and uracil. They have only 1 carbon nitrogen rings.

Question 6

what are purines?

Answer 6

organic nitrogenous bases adenine and guanine. They are larger than pyrimidine’s as they have 2 carbon nitrogen rings.

Question 7

what is a phosphodiester bond?

Answer 7

the sugar and phosphate group join together to make the backbone. the 3rd carbon is attached to the 5th by a phosphate bridge.

Question 8

what is ATP

Answer 8

adenosine triphosphate- compound that transfers energy within cells. adenine+ribose+3 phosphate groups.