Nucleic Acids and Nucelotides Flashcards

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1
Q

Draw, and label, the basic structure of a nucleotide.

A

A phosphate group attached to a nitrogenous base attached to a pentose sugar.
They all contain the elements H, P, O, N

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2
Q

Draw a nucleotide showing the structure of the pentose sugar and where the phosphate group and nitrogenous base attach using the standard system for numbering the carbons in the sugar.

A

The phosphate group attaches to the 5’ (prime) carbon.

The base attaches to the 1’ carbon of the pentose.

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3
Q

State the two main types of nucleic acid.

A

Deoxyribonucleic acid

Ribonucleic acid

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4
Q

Draw a table to show the similarities and differences between the nucleotides of DNA and RNA.

A
  1. DNA= deoxyribose, RNA= ribose
  2. DNA and RNA both have adenine and guanine purines
  3. DNA and RNA both have cytosine BUT DNA= Thymine, RNA= Uracil pyradimines
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5
Q

Draw the structures of ribose and deoxyribose and identify the difference between the two pentose sugars.

A

Deoxyribose- on 2’ carbon only has an -H below

Ribose- on 2’ carbon has an -OH below

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6
Q

List the full names of the 5 possible nitrogenous bases in nucleic acids.

A
  1. Guanine- Purine
  2. Adenine- Purine
  3. Thymine- Pyrimidine
  4. Cytosine- Pyrimidine
  5. Uracil- Pyrimidine
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7
Q

Outline the structure of the two types of nitrogenous base.

A

Purines- larger bases which contain a double carbon ring structure
Pyrimidines- smaller bases which contain a single carbon ring structure

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8
Q

Define the term monomer

A

An individual molecule that makes up a polymer.

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9
Q

Define the term polymer

A

A long-chain molecule composed of bonded multiple individual monomers in a repeating pattern

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10
Q

Define the term nucleic acid

A

Large polymers formed from nucleotides. Contain C, N, P, H, O

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11
Q

Define the term polynucleotide

A

A molecule made up of lots of nucleotide joined together in a long chain.

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12
Q

Define the term nucleotide

A

The monomers used to form nucleic acids. Made up of pentose monosaccharide, a phosphate group and a nitrogenous base.

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13
Q

Define the term phosphodiester bond

A

Covalent bonds formed between the phosphate group of one nucleotide and the hydroxyl group of another.

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14
Q

Draw and label a diagram to show how nucleotides can link together to form polynucleotides (including the production of water).

A

The phosphate group of the 2nd nucleotide bonds to the hydroxyl group of the 3’ carbon of the pentose sugar in the 1st nucleotide to form a phosphodiester bond. This forms a strong, long sugar-phosphate backbone.
This releases a water moleucules

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15
Q

State the name of the reaction that joins nucleotides to other nucleotides and the name of the reaction that breaks phosphodiester bonds.

A

Condensation reaction- releases water

Hydrolysis reaction- breaks the bond using water

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16
Q

State 3 main types of activity for which cells require energy.

A
  1. Anabolic reactions- synthesis of large molecules
  2. Movement- e.g protein fibres in muscle cells that cause muscle contraction
  3. Transportation of ions and molecules across the membrane.
17
Q

Draw and label a diagram of ATP

A

Has 3 phosphate groups, the base adenine and ribose.

ATP (adenosine triphosphate)

18
Q

Draw and label a diagram of ADP.

A

Has 2 phosphate groups, the base adenine and ribose.

ADP (adenosine diphosphate)

19
Q

List 2 similarities and 2 differences between the structure of ATP and DNA and RNA nucleotides.

A
  1. RNA and ATP both have a ribose sugar, but DNA had deoxyribose.
  2. DNA and RNA both have 1 phosphate group, but ATP has 3.
  3. They all have one base.
20
Q

Draw a reaction to show how energy is released from ATP to provide energy for cellular activities.

A

Energy is stored in the phosphate bond, when energy is needed ATP is broken down to ADP and inorganic phosphate. Energy is released from the phosphate bond and used by the cell.

21
Q

Draw a diagram to show the interconversion of ATP and ADP, the names of the types of reactions involved, where energy is released and the role of respiration.

A

Hydrolysis- ADP, P and energy is produced from ATP and H2O (energy is release for use by cells)
Condensation- ATP and water is produced from ADP and P (energy is supplied from respiration)

22
Q

State 5 properties of ATP and explain why each makes it ideally suited to function as an energy transfer molecule.

A
  1. Small- moves easily into, out of and within cells
  2. Water soluble- energy-requiring processes happen in aquoeus environments.
  3. Contains bonds between phosphates- with intermediate energy large enough to be useful for cellular reactions but not so large that energy is wasted
  4. Releases energy is small quantities- quantities are suitable to most cellular needs, so energy is wasted as heat.
  5. Easily regenerated- can be recharged with energy
23
Q

Define the term phosphorylation

A

The addition of a phosphate group to a molecule

24
Q

Draw and label a diagram of the structure of DNA.

A

DNA is composed of two polynucleotide strands joined together by hydrogen bonding in a double-helix shape.
The two polynucleotide strands are anti parallel- this means they run in opposite directions.

25
Q

Define the term complementary base pairing

A

Specific hydrogen bonding between nucleic acid bases. A-T/U and C-G

26
Q

Define sugar phosphate backbone

A

A backbone is composed of alternating sugar and phosphate groups, that forms the structural framework of nucleic acids.

27
Q

Define antiparallel

A

Two parallel strands that are arranged so they run in opposite directions

28
Q

State the complementary base pairing rules, name the bond that holds them together, and state the number of bonds that hold each pair together.

A
  1. Adenine-Thymine/ Uracil form two hydrogen bonds
  2. Cytosine- Guanine form 3 hydrogen bonds
    These rules means a small pyrimidine base always binds to a purine base.
29
Q

Explain why a DNA molecule has equal amounts of adenine and thymine and equal amounts of cytosine and guanine.

A

They always pair up together, so you can’t have one without the other.

30
Q

Describe how purines and pyrimidines are arranged in the complementary base pairing rules.

A

One pyrimidine always binds to a purine- this maintains a constant distance between the DNA backbones.

31
Q

Describe the significance of the double stranded, complementary base paired nature of DNA for its function.

A

Complementary base pairing - allows itself to replicate easily
It’s long- stores a lot of information
Coiled into double helix- stores a lot of info in a small space.
It’s stable- double helix and backbone

32
Q

Describe the significance of the sequence of bases in a DNA strand for its function.

A

The sequence of bases allow it to carry coded information for the synthesis of proteins.

33
Q

Describe, and explain the importance of the steps in the isolation and purification of DNA by precipitation.

A
  1. Grind sample- breaks cell wall
  2. Mix with detergent- breaks cell membrane, releasing cell contents into solution
  3. Add salt- breaks H bonds between the DNA and water molecules.
  4. Add protease enzymes- break proteins associated with DNA in nuclei.
  5. Add layer of alcohol on top of sample- causes DNA to precipitate out of solution
  6. White strands will form- DNA- between layer of sample and layer of alcohol