nucleic acids Flashcards
what are nucleic acids also know as
polynucleotides
information molecules of cell
are nucleic acids monomers or polymers
polymers
what do nucleic acids carry
all the information needed to form new cells
what does the information in nucleic acids take a part of
the code of molecules in DNA
what are nucleic acids made of
many nucleotide monomer units
how are nucleic acids formed
they are chains of nucleotides linked together by condensation reactions that produce phosphodiester bonds between sugar on one nucleotide and phosphate group of next nucleotide
why do polynucleotides always have a hydroxyl group at the end and a phosphate group at the other
because the sugar of one nucleotide bonds to the phosphate group of the next nucleotide
hydrogen bonds between A and U
2 hydrogen bonds
structure of RNA molecules
they form single polynucleotide strands that can fold into complex shapes held in place by hydrogen bonds or remain as long thread like molecules
structure of DNA molecules
consist of two polynucleotide strands twisted around each other. the sugars and phosphates form the backbone of the molecule and pointing inwards from two sugar phosphate back bone are bases which pair up in specific ways
how do hydrogen bonds form between base pairs in DNA
between the amino and carboxyl groups of the purine and pyrimidine bases on the opposite strand
5’
the strand where carbon 5 is attached to the phosphate group of the first nucleotide in the chain
3’
where carbon 3 is attached to first phosphate group of first nucleotide group of chain
how many base pairs are there for each complete twist of the helix
10 base pairs
what is free at 5’
the phosphate group at the end of carbon 5
