Nucleic Acids Flashcards
1
Q
What does DNA do, and what does it stand for?
A
- Deoxyribonucleic acid
= stores genetic material and codes for traits
= double stranded (polynucleotides)
= double helix = antiparallel
2
Q
What does RNA stand for and what does it do?
A
- ribonucleic acid
= to transfer genetic material and synthesise proteins
= single stranded and short
3
Q
What are the components of a nucleotides?
A
- phosphate group
- pentose sugar
- nitrogenous base
4
Q
What are the components of the nucleotides that make up DNA?
A
- phosphate group
- deoxyribose pentose sugar
- an adenine, guanine, thymine or cytosine base
5
Q
What are the components of the nucleotides that make up RNA?
A
- phosphate group
-ribose pentose sugar - either adenine, guanine, uracil and cytosine base
6
Q
Which bases are purines?
A
Adenine and Guanine (Pure as Gold)
7
Q
Which bases are pyrimidines?
A
Cytosine, Thymine and Uracil
8
Q
What is the structure of a purine?
A
double ringed
9
Q
What is the structure of a pyrimidine?
A
single ringed
10
Q
Where between nucleotides do phosphodiester bonds form?
A
between phosphate groups of one nucleotide and a sugar in the other nucleotide
11
Q
What is meant by 3’ to 5’?
A
- 3’ = the hydroxyl group at the third carbon
5’ - - the phosphate group at the fifth carbon showing the direction of one on the strands in the double helix
12
Q
A
