The structure of nucleic acids

Question 1

What are DNA & RNA polymers of

Answer 1

Nucleotides

Question 2

What are each nucleotide composed of

Answer 2

a pentose (5 carbon) SUGAR​

a PHOSPHATE group​

a nitrogenous BASE​

Question 3

What are the two types of bases

Answer 3

Purines - double ring structure (adenine and guanine)

Pyrimidines- single ring structure (thymine, cytosine, uracil)

Question 4

What does a DNA strand consist of

Answer 4

sequence of nucleotides linked together to form a DOUBLE HELIX that can be visualized as an immensely long, twisted ladder. ​

Question 5

what is each strand or one side of the ladder composed of

Answer 5

alternating molecules of deoxyribose and​ phosphate with a nitrogenous base attached to each deoxyribose unit. ​

Question 6

How is DNA formed exactly

Answer 6

Pairs of joined bases project crosswise, forming the rungs of the ladder. ​

The bases stick out the side of the sugar molecules and are linked to the bases of the other strand by hydrogen bonds in a very strict pattern: always a purine with a pyrimidine. ​

There is COMPLEMENTARY BASE PAIRING BETWEEN STRANDS​

Question 7

What is the complementary base pairing rule

Answer 7

T will only hydrogen bond to A ​

C will hydrogen bond to G. ​

Question 8

What do the sequence of bases do

Answer 8

codes heredity information in the genetic code in DNA and RNA. ​