Nucleic Acids Flashcards
_______ are a linear polymer of nucleotides that function in the storage and expression of genetic information and its transfer from generation to the next
- nucleic acids
The two types of nucleic acids
- ribonucleic acids (RNA)
2. deoxyribonucleic acids (DNA)
DNA and RNA are ____________ chains
- polymeric chains
DNA/RNA polymers consist of monomer units held together by _____________ bonds
- covalent hydrogen
RNA contains the sugar _________
- ribose
DNA contains the sugar __________
- 2’-deoxyribose
The connection between monomer units is through a __________ group
- phosphate
The link between the two monomers/nucleotides is known as a _________________
- phosphodiester link/bond
The actual functional unit on a DNA/RNA molecule is the _____________
- heteropolymers, or nitrogenous bases
Two categories of heterolytic/nitrogenous bases
- purines
2. pyrimidines
____ contains the bases A, G, C, T
- DNA
____ contains the bases A, G, C, U
- RNA
adenine and guanine are ____________ (purines/pyrimidines)
- purines
cytosine, thymine, and uracil are ___________ (purines/pyrimidines)
- pyrimidines
The molecular components of nucleotides consist of __________, ________ and ______
- Nitrogenous bases
- Pentose Sugar
- Phosphate
RNA contains a different sugar from DNA, so its predominant form is a ______ strand that can intertwine or _____ to make secondary and primary structures
- single
- fold
DNA is made in a predominantly ________ form in antiparallel complementary strands.
- double helix
The inside portion of DNA has ________ (hydrophylic/hydrophobic) regions
- hydrophobic (nonpolar) regions
The exterior portion of DNA has ________ (hydrophylic/hydrophobic) regions
- hydrophylic (negative) regions
The function of DNA
- store genetic information and use it to build diff types of proteins
- to pass the genetic information to offspring
The function of RNA
- to transcribe the info in DNA to a form that can be understood and read by the cell
- to form proteins in ribosomes (protein synthesis)
On RNA, or ribose sugar the ___ carbon contains a ______ (hydrogen/hydroxyl) group
- 2’
- hydroxyl
On DNA, or deoxyribose sugar the ___ carbon contains a ______ (hydrogen/hydroxyl) group
- 2’
- hydrogen
The lack of the _____ group on the DNA sugar makes it more stable due to its resistance of hydrolysis
- hydroxyl
Nucleic acids have monomers/nucleotides linked together by bonds known as ___________ linkages
- 3’ -> 5’ phosphodiester
Nucleic acids backbone consists of _________, but do not include _____
- repeating sugar, phosphate units
- bases
The bases are attached to carbon __ of each sugar molecule and unlike the backbone which remains constant and unchanged, _____ from nucleotide to nucleotide
- 1’
- varies
Purines structures are _______
- 2 fused rings
Pyrimidine structures are ______
- a single ring
In DNA the pyrimidines are:
- cytosine and thymine