DNA And RNA Structure

Question 1

What does DNA stand for?

Answer 1

Deoxyribonucleic acid

Question 2

What does RNA stand for?

Answer 2

Ribonucleic acid

Question 3

What do DNA and RNA do?

Answer 3

In all living cells, DNA holds genetic information and RNA transfers genetic information from DNA to the ribosomes.

Question 4

How are ribosomes formed?

Answer 4

Ribosomes are formed from RNA and proteins.

Question 5

What are they made up of?

Answer 5

Both DNA and RNA are polymers of nucleotides. Each nucleotide is formed from a pentose, a nitrogen-containing organic base and a phosphate group

Question 6

What are the components of DNA?

Answer 6

The components of a DNA nucleotide are deoxyribose, a phosphate group and one of the organic bases adenine, cytosine, guanine or thymine.

Question 7

What are the components of RNA?

Answer 7

The components of an RNA nucleotide are ribose, a phosphate group and one of the organic bases adenine, cytosine, guanine or uracil.

Question 8

How are phosphodiester bonds formed?

Answer 8

A condensation reaction between two nucleotides forms a phosphodiester bond.

Question 9

What is the structure of DNA?

Answer 9

A DNA molecule is a double helix with two polynucleotide chains held together by hydrogen bonds between specific complementary base pairs.

Question 10

What is the structure of RNA?

Answer 10

An RNA molecule is a relatively short polynucleotide chain.

Question 11

Extra: Why did scientists question whether DNA did what it is said to do?

Answer 11

The relative simplicity of DNA led many scientists to doubt that it carried the genetic code.

Question 12

How is DNA linked to evolution?

Answer 12

All organisms have similar DNA showing indirect evidence for evolution and all coming from similar organisms.

Question 13

What are nucleotides?

Answer 13

Nucleotides are the subunits from which DNA is made. They are formed from a pentose sugar, a phosphate group and a nitrogen-containing base.

Question 14

Who worked out the structure of DNA?

Answer 14

James Watson and Francis Crick worked out the structure of DNA in 1053.

Question 15

What is a pentose?

Answer 15

A 5-carbon-sugar or deoxyribose

Question 16

What is a phosphate group?

Answer 16

The phosphate group is a molecule containing one atom of phosphorus covalently bound to four oxygen residues, two of which may be expressed as a hydroxyl group. They are relatively reactive molecules that readily form phosphodiester bonds by the interaction with hydroxyl groups

Question 17

What sort of bond holds the nucleotides (organic bases) together

Answer 17

Hydrogen bond holds together nucleotides in the centre of the structure

Question 18

What is a hydrogen bond?

Answer 18

A chemical bond important in the three-dimensional structure of biological molecules. Hydrogen bonds break relatively easily.

Question 19

How many polynucleotide strands are in DNA?

Answer 19

DNA has two strands and RNA has one.

Question 20

What base pairs with thymine in DNA?

Answer 20

Adenine pairs with thymine in DNA

Question 21

What base pairs with Cytosine in DNA?

Answer 21

Guanine pairs with cytosine in DNA

Question 22

What base pairs with adenine in RNA?

Answer 22

Uracil pairs with adenine in RNA

Question 23

What base pairs with Cytosine in RNA?

Answer 23

Guanine pairs with cytosine in RNA

Question 24

What structure is DNA in:
A) Antiparallel strands
B) Opposite strands
C) Verticle Strands

Answer 24

DNA is in a double helix where the polynucleotide strands are antiparallel