Nucleic Acids

Summary

Nucleic acids, including DNA and RNA, are vital organic macromolecules in living organisms, composed of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and phosphorus. DNA, the primary component of chromatin, carries genetic information in an organism's genes, directing traits and activities, including heredity. RNA plays a crucial role in protein synthesis by assembling amino acids. Both are made of nucleotides, with DNA having adenine, thymine, cytosine, and guanine, and RNA having adenine, uracil, cytosine, and guanine. DNA's structure is double-stranded with hydrogen bonds, while RNA is single-stranded, showcasing the complexity and importance of nucleic acids in cellular functions.

Takeaways

• 🧬 Nucleic acids are large organic molecules composed of thousands of smaller molecules, including DNA and RNA.
• 🌟 DNA is the primary component of chromatin, which condenses into chromosomes before cell division.
• 🧵 Chromosomes contain DNA organized in a specific order that forms an organism's genes.
• 🔑 Genes carry the instructions for every function, trait, and activity in an organism, including growth, reproduction, and heredity.
• 🛠 RNA plays a crucial role in protein synthesis by assembling amino acids in the correct order.
• 🌱 Both DNA and RNA are composed of elements carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and additionally, phosphorus.
• 🔬 Nucleotides are the monomers of nucleic acids, consisting of a phosphate group, a five-carbon sugar (pentose), and a nitrogenous base.
• 🔄 DNA nucleotides have four nitrogenous bases: adenine (A), thymine (T), cytosine (C), and guanine (G).
• 🔄 RNA nucleotides also have four bases, but uracil (U) replaces thymine.
• 🔗 The phosphate group of one nucleotide bonds with the pentose sugar of another to form a nucleic acid polymer.
• 🌀 DNA has a double-stranded structure with strands linked by hydrogen bonds between nitrogenous bases, while RNA is typically single-stranded.

Q & A

What are nucleic acids?

Nucleic acids are organic macromolecules composed of thousands or hundreds of thousands of smaller molecules, with two main types: deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA).

What is the role of DNA in living organisms?

DNA is the main component of chromatin, which condenses into chromosomes before cell division. It contains genes that provide the directions for every function, trait, and activity in an organism, including growth, reproduction, and heredity.

What is the function of RNA in the cell?

RNA is involved in building specific proteins by assembling their amino acids in the correct order, which are crucial for all cellular functions in living organisms.

What elements do nucleic acids contain?

Nucleic acids contain carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and phosphorus.

What are the monomers of nucleic acids called?

The monomers of nucleic acids are called nucleotides.

What are the three compounds that make up a nucleotide?

A nucleotide consists of a phosphate group, a five-carbon sugar (pentose), and a nitrogenous base.

What is the difference between the pentose sugar in DNA and RNA?

The pentose sugar in DNA is called deoxyribose, which has one less oxygen than ribose, the pentose sugar found in RNA.

What are the four nitrogenous bases found in DNA nucleotides?

The four nitrogenous bases in DNA are adenine (A), thymine (T), cytosine (C), and guanine (G).

What are the four nitrogenous bases found in RNA nucleotides?

The four nitrogenous bases in RNA are adenine (A), uracil (U), cytosine (C), and guanine (G).

How do nucleotides assemble to form nucleic acids?

Nucleotides assemble by the phosphate group of one nucleotide bonding with the pentose sugar of another, forming a nucleic acid polymer.

What is the structural difference between DNA and RNA?

DNA is a double-stranded nucleic acid with two strands linked by hydrogen bonds between nitrogenous bases, while RNA is single-stranded.