Nucleic Acids and ATP energy

Question 1

What are nucleic acids?

Answer 1

biochemical molecules (macromolecules) involved with the transmission of inherited information

Question 2

Types of nucleic acids?

Answer 2

2 types:

• DNA - deoxyribonucleic acid
• RNA - ribonucleic acid

Question 3

What is a polymer and a monomer in nucleic acids topic?

Answer 3

• monomer is a nucleotide
• polyer is a nucleic acid or a polynucleotide

Question 4

What are the elements in a nucleic acid?

Answer 4

• O - oxygen
• P - phosphate
• N - nitrogen
• H - hydrogen
• C - carbon

Question 5

Which bases are purines and pyrimidines?

Answer 5

• Purines are A and G
• Pyrimidines are T, U and C

Question 6

What are the differences between a purine and a pyrimidine?

Answer 6

• purines have a double ring strcuture so have a large structure
• pyrimidines have a single rings tructure so a small structure

Question 7

How is a dinucleotide formed?

Answer 7

• 2 nucleotides are covalently linked together by a condensation reaction
• the linkage occurs between the phosphate group of one nucleotide and the sugar of another nucleotide
• linkage is termed as a phosphodiester bond

Question 8

Hydrogen bonds between bases?

Answer 8

• 2 weak hydrogen bonds between the bases A and T, A and U
• 3 weak hydorgen bonds between the bases G and C

Question 9

How do purines and pyrimidines form a double stranded molecule?

Answer 9

• a purine base always pairs with a pyrimidine
• this leads to the formation of a double stranded molecule.
• strands in a DNA molecule are antiparallel (they run in opposite directions)

Question 10

What are the differences between DNA and RNA?

Answer 10

DNA

• dexyribose sugar
• double stranded (double helix)
• bases are AT, GC

RNA

• ribose sugar
• single stranded
• bases are AU, GC

Question 11

What are the types of RNA?

Answer 11

• rRNA - ribosomal RNA - structural components of ribosomes
• tRNA - transfer RNA - transfers amino acids into proteins
• mRNA - messenger RNA

Question 12

Why is energy and ATP required by the body?

Answer 12

• cell division
• memory formation
• muscle contraction
• transmission of nerve impulses

Question 13

Why is energy and ATP required by cells?

Answer 13

• synthesis - of large molecules such as proteins
• transport - movement of molecules across the cell membrane via active transport
• movement - protein fibres in muscles cause muscle contraction

Question 14

Where is ATP made?

Answer 14

• made in mitochondria by glucose
• quick and rapid
• just enough energy for chemical reactions to occur
• it is the energy currency of a cell

Question 15

What are the components of ATP?

Answer 15

• ribose sugar
• adenine base (organic)
• 3 phosphate groups

Question 16

What is AMP, ADP , ATP?

Answer 16

• AMP - adenosine monophosphate
• ADP - adenosine diphosphate
• ATP - adenosine triphosphate

Question 17

How is ADP formed from ATP?

Answer 17

• during hydrolysis, water is added to break the bond sbetween the phosphate groups forming ADP and Pi (inorganic phosphate ion)
• energy is required for the bodn to break which hold the hosphate groups togetehr in ATP
• more energy is released when OH- from water reacts with ADP and H+ reacts with Pi. These reactions release more energy in comparison to the amount of enegry that needs to be suplied.

Question 18

How is ATP formed by ADP?

Answer 18

• in cells, ATP is generally produced when ADP is joint to a third phosphate group by a condensation reaction
• condensation reactions require lots of energy such as from photosynthesis and respiration.

Question 19

What are the rpoperties of ATP?

Answer 19

• small - easily moves in and out of cells
• soluble in water
• bonds between phosphate groups with immediate energy and in small quantities - enough energy is released for cellular reactions to occur but not enough energy is released to be wasted such as by heat
• easily regenerated - recharges with the energy so can be used again