Nucleotides Flashcards
What are nucleotides?
Nucleotides are the building blocks (monomers) of the nucleic acids DNA and RNA
Characteristics of nucleotides
1)Each nucleotide is made up of a pentose sugar (ribose or deoxyribose), a nitrogenous base (purine or pyrimidine) and a phosphate group
2)Nucleotides containing deoxyribose are named deoxyribonucleotides
3)Nucleotides containing ribose are named ribonucleotides
Deoxyribonucleotide
Polymer: Deoxyribonucleic acid
The base can be one of the following:
1)Adenine
2)Thymine
3)Guanine
4)Cytosine
Ribonucleotide
Polymer = Ribonucleic Acids (RNA)
The base can be one of the following:
1)Adenine
2)Uracil
3)Cytosine
4)Guanine
Pentose sugar
1)Deoxyribose and ribose are aldopentoses
2)The beta anomer is used in the formation of the nucleotides
What is a phosphoester bond?
A phosphoester bond is a bond between the phosphorous atom of a phosphate group
Phosphate group
1)Forms a phosphoester bond with C5 of the pentose sugar
2)The phosphate group is deprotonated (loses Hydrogen ion) at most pH and therefore is negatively charged (.e. polar)
The nitrogenous base
1)Bases are heterocyclic compounds
-Heterocyclic compounds are rings that also contain non-carbon atoms, in this case, it is nitrogen atoms
2)The bases in nucleic acids are either purines or pyrimidines
3)The bases form a Beta-N-glycosidic bond with C1 of the sugar
Purines
2 ring strucuture
Pyrimidines
1 ring structure
Purine (Bases)
1)Adenine
2)Guanine
-Adenine and Guanine are found in both deoxyribonucleotides and ribonucleotides
Pyrimidine (Bases)
1)Cytosine
-found in deoxyribonucleotide and ribonucleotide
2)Thymine
-found in deoxyribonucleotide
3)Uracil
-Found in ribonucleotide
Another function for Nucleotide
ATP
-Adenosine triphosphate (a ribonucleotide)
What is ATP?
ATP is universally used in living systems to provide energy to drive biochemical reactions
What are Nucleosides?
A nucleotide without a phosphate group is called a nucleoside
