Nucleic Acids
Summary
TLDRNucleic acids, essential biomolecules in all living organisms, store genetic information and facilitate protein synthesis through their monomers, nucleotides. DNA features a double helix structure with anti-parallel strands held by hydrogen bonds between complementary bases. RNA, typically single-stranded and less stable, plays a regulatory role in protein synthesis. ATP, a modified nucleotide, serves as a cell's energy currency, releasing energy through the breakdown of its high-energy phosphate bonds.
Takeaways
- 𧏠Nucleic acids are essential biomolecules found in all living organisms, playing a crucial role in storing genetic information and protein synthesis.
- đ Nucleic acids consist of monomers called nucleotides, which are composed of a 5-carbon sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base.
- đŹ In DNA, the 5-carbon sugar is deoxyribose, and the nitrogenous bases are adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), and thymine (T).
- đ Nucleotides are linked by dehydration synthesis, forming a sugar-phosphate backbone that links the nucleotides together in DNA.
- đ DNA is a double-stranded, right-handed helix with anti-parallel strands held together by hydrogen bonds between complementary bases (A-T and G-C).
- đ The complementary base pairing in DNA is vital for the replication of the DNA molecule, ensuring accurate transmission of genetic information.
- đ RNA differs from DNA in having the sugar ribose and the base uracil (U) instead of thymine, and it is typically single-stranded and less stable.
- đ RNA is involved in regulating the expression of genetic information during protein synthesis, unlike DNA which stores the information.
- đ ATP (adenosine tri-phosphate) is a modified nucleotide that serves as a temporary energy battery within cells, releasing energy when a phosphate group is removed.
- ⥠The high-energy bonds between phosphate groups in ATP are crucial for cellular energy processing, with adenosine diphosphate (ADP) being rechargeable by cellular pathways.
- đ Not all nucleic acids are involved in genetic information processing; some, like ATP, have specialized roles in cellular energy metabolism.
Q & A
What are nucleic acids and what role do they play in living organisms?
-Nucleic acids are biomolecules found in all living organisms, responsible for storing genetic information and facilitating protein synthesis.
What are the monomers that make up nucleic acids?
-Nucleic acids are composed of monomers called nucleotides.
What are the three components of a nucleotide?
-A nucleotide consists of a 5-carbon sugar, a phosphate functional group, and a nitrogenous base.
What is the 5-carbon sugar found in DNA and what are the four nitrogenous bases?
-The 5-carbon sugar in DNA is deoxyribose, and the four nitrogenous bases are adenine, guanine, cytosine, and thymine.
How are nucleotides linked together in a nucleic acid molecule?
-Nucleotides are linked together by dehydration synthesis or polymerization reactions, forming a sugar-phosphate backbone.
What is the structural arrangement of DNA strands?
-DNA is composed of two strands arranged as a right-handed helix, which are anti-parallel, meaning they are oriented in opposite directions.
How are the two DNA strands held together?
-The two DNA strands are held together by hydrogen bonds between the nitrogenous bases: guanine with cytosine and adenine with thymine.
What is the difference between DNA and RNA in terms of sugar and nitrogenous bases?
-RNA contains the sugar ribose instead of deoxyribose and the nitrogenous base uracil instead of thymine, and it is usually single-stranded and less stable than DNA.
How does RNA function in the protein synthesis process?
-RNA functions in regulating the expression of genetic information in the protein synthesis process.
What is ATP and how does it relate to nucleic acids?
-ATP (adenosine tri-phosphate) is a modified nucleotide that plays a central role in energy processing within cells, composed of adenine, ribose, and three phosphate groups.
How does ATP serve as an energy source for the cell?
-ATP serves as a temporary energy battery for the cell; when energy is needed, the terminal phosphate group is removed, releasing energy and forming adenosine diphosphate.
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