Nucleic Acids Flashcards
Besides storing genetic information, what are some other functions of nucleotides?
Carry genetic information
Structural components of tRNA, ribosomes, spliceosomes, etc.
Energy metabolism
Cellular signaling
What are ribosomes?
Catalysts for transcribing mRNA into protein
What is DNA a polymer of? RNA?
DNA is a polymer of deoxyribonucleotides.
RNA is a polymer of ribonucleotides.
Give the general formula of a nucleotide.
phosphate + pentose sugar + nitrogenous base
What are the 2 pentose sugars that can be in a nucleotide?
Ribose and deoxyribose.
List the five different nitrogen-containing bases.
Adenine (A)
Guanine (G)
Thymine (T) or Uracil (U)
Cytosine (C)
What is the maximum number of phosphates that can be present in a phosphate group?
3
What types of bonds hold the phosphates together in the phosphate groups of nucleotides?
phosphoanhydride bonds
Provide the general equation for a nucleoside.
sugar + base
Differentiate between pyrimidines and purines.
Pyrimidines have a single ring, purines have a double ring.
List the pyrimidines.
Thymine, Cytosine and Uracil
List the purines.
Adenine and Guanine
Which base is this an image of?
Adenine (A)
Which base is this an image of?
Guanine (G)
Which base is this?
Cytosine (C)