Nucleic acids Flashcards
Where is DNA found?
In the nucleus; small amounts can be found in the mitochondria and chloroplasts
Where is RNA found?
Throughout the cell, but it’s only produced in the nucleus
Nucleotide structure
Phosphate group, a five-carbon sugar (either ribose or deoxyribose), and a nitrogenous base
DNA base
adenine, cytosine, guanine, thymine
DNA anti-code
A - T
C - G
RNA base
adenine, cytosine, guanine, uracil
RNA anticode
A - U
C - G
Describe the shape of DNA
A double helix made of two antiparallel (przeciwrównoległe) strands of nucleotides linked by hydrogen bonds
The sugar-phosphate backbone
We talk about it when covalent bonds are formed between the phosphate group of one nucleotide and the pentose sugar of the next nucleotide
What is the purpose of the sugar-phosphate backbone?
In DNA and RNA molecules it helps to ocnserve the sequences of nitrogenous bases
What is a hydrogen bond
A bond between two atoms that already participate in other chemical bonds
DNA replication process is:
anabolic (needs energy to be conducted), and semi-conservative (half of the replicated dna is old, half is new)
what is the central dogma?
It is a theory stating that genetic information flows only in one direction (from DNA, to RNA, to protein, or RNA directly to protein)
an example of central dogma
dna transcripts “TAG” > mRNA translates “AUC” > proteins receive UAG
complementary base pairing
nucleotide bases bond together in a consistent way - it allows genetic information to be replicated and expressed
