Nucleic acids

Question 1

How do the nucleotides join together to form polynucleotides

Answer 1

Join via condensation reaction between phosphate group of a nucleotide and sugar. This forms a phosphodiester bond which contains the phosphate group and 2 ester bonds. The chain of sugars and phosphates from sugar-phosphate backbone

Question 2

Structure and function of DNA

Answer 2

DNA polynucleotide strands join by H-bonds between bases
Each base is complementary to another - A-T and C-G
2 H-bonds between A-T and 3 H-bonds between C-G
2 antiparallel polynucleotide strands twist to form double helix - determined by Watson and Crick

Question 3

What is a nucleotide made from

Answer 3

Pentose sugar, Nitrogen containing base and phosphate group

Question 4

Function of DNA and RNA

Answer 4

NA- Store GI for organisms to grow and develop
RNA- transfer GI from DNA to ribosomes

Question 5

Structure of RNA

Answer 5

Made from single polynucleotide chain
Shorter than DNA