Topic 2 - Nucleic acids Flashcards
what are nucleic acids
polymers made up of many nucleotide monomer units that carry all the information needed to form new cells
what is a phosphodiester bond
a bond formed between the phosphate group of one nucleotide and the sugar of the next nucleotide in a condensation reaction
what is a genome
the entire genetic material of an organism
give 2 examples of nucleic acids
RNA and DNA
how are nucleic acids used direct the production of proteins
parts of the nucleic acid is copied into mRNA, then used to direct the production of proteins
where is the genetic information found in eukaryotic cells
stored in chromosomes in the nucleus
where is the genetic information found in prokaryotic cells
single length of DNA is found freely in the cytoplasm
which groups does a polynucleotide always have
a hydroxyl group at one end and a phosphate group at the other
what is DNA made out of
long chains of nucleotides containing the bases C, G, A and T joined together
what is RNA made out of
long chains of nucleotides containing the bases C, G, A and U joined together
Compare the structure of DNA with the structure of RNA
RNA molecules form 1 polynucleotide strands that can fold or remain long and straight. DNA molecules form 2 polynucleotide strands, forming a double helix shape
how do bases pair up
a purine base always pairs with a pyrimidine base (in DNA this creates a spiral structure).
how are the 2 strands of the DNA double helix held together
by hydrogen bonds between the complementary base pairs
where do hydrogen bonds form between a base pair
between the amino and the carbonyl groups of the purine and pyrimidine bases on the opposite strands
state the difference between the number of hydrogen bonds between C and G, and A and T
there are 3 hydrogen bonds between C and G, and 2 hydrogen bonds between A and T
