3.1.5.1 Structure of DNA and RNA Flashcards
What are the types of nucleic acid?
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)
RNA (ribonucleic acid)
What are nucleotides made of?
A pentose sugar (has 5 carbon atoms)
A phosphate group
A nitrogen-containing organic base (includes Cytosine, Thymine, Uracil, Adenine and Guanine)
These parts are joined by a condensation reaction
What is a single nucleotide called?
A mononucleotide
How do you join two nucleotides together?
A condensation reaction between a deoxyribase sugar and a phosphate group
For each mole of dinucleotide formed, one mole of water is formed
Called a dinucleotide
Joined by a phosphodiester bond
What is a chain of nucleotides called?
A polynucleotide
What are the parts of DNA/RNA called?
Phosphate Pentose sugar Adenine Guanine Cytosine Thymine Uracil
What is RNA?
What are its bases?
Polymer, single chain, relatively short, polynucleotide chain, pentose sugar is ribose, organic bases are adenine, guanine, cytosine and uracil
What are the types of RNA?
tRNA: Transfers information from DNA to the ribosomes
mRNA: Makes up ribosomes alongside protein
Involved in protein synthesis
What is DNA?
What are its bases?
Pentose sugar is deoxyribose, organic bases are A, T, G and C
Which bases are complimentary for DNA/RNA?
Adenine pairs with thymine
Guanine pairs with cytosine
What is the structure of DNA?
The two polynucleotide chains wind around eachother to form a double helix which forms the structural backbone
Pentose sugars are anti-parallel (in the opposite direction)
What carbons in deoxyribonucleic acid join with what?
Carbon 5 joins to a phosphate above it
Carbon 3 joins to a phosphate below it
In DNA, what is the backbone called?
A sugar phosphate backbone
What joins bases in DNA/RNA together?
Hydrogen bonds
How many hydrogen bonds occur between the bases in DNA?
A and T: two, represnted by ‘=’
C and G: three, represented by three lines, stronger