Nucleic Acids Flashcards
- Nucleic Acids
Information molecules
Carry information inside cells
o Two main varieties
Nucleic Acids
DNA
RNA
DNA
Short lived copies of genetic information made in the form of RNA
Used to direct the synthesis of proteins
• Process of gene expression
o RNA
- More complicated than DNA
* Responsible for protein synthesis
Messenger RNA
- Carrier of information
* Transcribed single-stranded copies of portion of DNA
o Nucleic acids consist of
Long polymer of repeating subunits called nucleotides
o Nucleotides consist of three components
Pentose
Phosphate group
Phosphodiester bond
Polynucleotides
- Polar
- Phosphate on one end
- -OH from sugar on the other
Purines
A and G
o Pyrimidines
C • DNA and RNA T • DNA U • RNA
DNA (Structure)
• Two polynucleotide chains wrapped about each other in a long linear molecule in eukaryotes and circular molecule in prokaryotes
Base Pair
Base in one chain attracted by hydrogen bonds to a base opposite
• Complementary
o Bases that participate in base-pairing
• Chromosome
o Protein in eukaryotic organisms
• mRNA
o Carries information o Part of ribosome Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) o Carries amino acids Transfer RNA (tRNA)