Nucleic acids

Question 1

What are nuclei acids?

Answer 1

One of the most important groups of biological molecules, best known as ribonucleic acid (RNA) and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)

Question 2

What is the function of nucleus acids?

Answer 2

Important carrying molecules

Question 3

What is the function of DNA?

Answer 3

Holds genetic information

Question 4

What is the function of RNA?

Answer 4

It transfers genetic information to ribosomes where proteins are made

Question 5

Monomer of nucleic acids

Answer 5

Nucleotides

Question 6

Dimer of nucleic acids

Answer 6

Dinucleotides

Question 7

Polymer of nucleic acids

Answer 7

Polynucleotides

Question 8

What are the components in a nucleotide?

Answer 8

•A phosphate group
•A pentose sugar
•Nitrogen containing bases

Question 9

Component of a DNA nucleotide

Answer 9

•A charged phosphate group
•A 5 carbon pentose sugar which is deoxyribose (A carbohydrate as it’s a sugar)
•One of 4 nitrogen containing bases: Adenine, cytosine, guanine and thymine

Question 10

Components of a RNA nucleotide

Answer 10

•A charged phosphate group
•A 5 carbon pentose group which is ribose
•One of 4 nitrogen containing bases: Adenine, cytosine, guanine or uracil

Question 11

What do all components together form?

Answer 11

They create a sugar phosphate backbone

Question 12

Formation of dinucleotides

Answer 12

Joined via condensation reactions between phosphate group’s 5 prime end of one nucleotide and the ribose (RNA) or deoxyribose (DNA) 3 prime end forming a phosphodiester bond

Question 13

Reactions involving DNA nucleotide are catalysed by…

Answer 13

DNA polymerase

Question 14

Reactions involving RNA nucleotides are catalysed by…

Answer 14

RNA polymerase

Question 15

What does DNA/RNA polymerase do to bonds?

Answer 15

Secure and solidify the phosphodiester bonds of the sugar phosphate backbone

Question 16

What are the bonds within nucleotide polymers?

Answer 16

A phosphodiester bonds

Question 17

What is the other product of condensation reactions between nucleotides?

Answer 17

Water molecules - 1 for each condensation reaction

Question 18

If more mononucleotides are added via condensation it forms a…

Answer 18

Polynucleotide

Question 19

What do polynucleotides result in?

Answer 19

Many phosphodiester bonds forming

Question 20

What is the importance of many phosphodiester bonds being formed?

Answer 20

Creates the sugar phosphate backbone of Nucleic acids which is stable and strong

Question 21

What direction can nucleotides only be added in?

Answer 21

ONLY added in a 5’-3’ direction by DNA polymerase

Question 22

What is the structure of DNA?

Answer 22

A double helix with two polynucleotide chains held together by (weak) hydrogen bonds between specific complementary base pairs

Question 23

Who put forward the double helix structure?

Answer 23

Watson & Crick

Question 24

What hand is the helix structure?

Answer 24

Right handed

Question 25

What is the 5’ (prime) end?

Answer 25

The phosphate end

Question 26

What is the 3’ (prime) end?

Answer 26

The carbon sugar end

Question 27

What are the DNA strands opened up by?

Answer 27

DNA helicaese

Question 28

How are Adenine and Thymine bonded?

Answer 28

2 hydrogen bonds

Question 29

How are Cytosine and Guanine bonded?

Answer 29

3 hydrogen bonds

Question 30

What direction do the 2 polynucleotides run in?

Answer 30

Opposite directions which means they are antiparallel

Question 31

What is 5’ - 3’ is important in?

Answer 31

DNA replication and when making proteins

Question 32

What is the function of DNA?

Answer 32

To hold genetic information

Question 33

3.w billion base pairs spread over … chromosomes in each cell nucleus?

Answer 33

23 chromosomes

Question 34

What is a gene?

Answer 34

A section of DNA which codes for (polypeptide) proteins

Question 35

What’s a chromatid?

Answer 35

Half a chromosome

Question 36

What makes organisms DNA different?

Answer 36

The DNA base sequence

Question 37

What is the purpose of the sugar-phosphate backbone and double helix structure?

Answer 37

1) Provides strength and stability 2) Protects information codes in the bases and hydrogen bonding between bases

Question 38

What is the purpose of DNA being a longer molecule?

Answer 38

This means it’s can store a lot of information

Question 39

What is the purpose of a helix structure?

Answer 39

It makes it compact

Question 40

What is the purpose of base sequences?

Answer 40

It allows it to code for amino acids and therefore proteins

Question 41

What is the purpose of DNA being double stranded?

Answer 41

Allows semi-conservative replication because each strand can act as a template

Question 42

What is the purpose of complementary base pairing A-T and C-G?

Answer 42

Allows for accurate replication

Question 43

What is the purpose of (weak) hydrogen bonds between bases?

Answer 43

Easily broken and separation of strands for semi-conservative replication

Question 44

What is the purpose of many hydrogen bonds in the whole molecule?

Answer 44

To make it a strong and stable molecule

Question 45

In chargaffs base pairing rule which bases have equal amounts?

Answer 45

Adenine = Thymine Cytosine = Guanine

Question 46

What does pyrimidine mean?

Answer 46

1 ring

Question 47

What does purine mean?

Answer 47

2 rings

Question 48

Which bases are pyrimidine?

Answer 48

Cytosine and Thymine

Question 49

Which bases are purine?

Answer 49

Adenine and Guanine