Unit 8 Flashcards
(124 cards)
Nucleic acids are
polymers of nucleotides
has its own unique sequence of bases known as its primary structure.
nucleic acids
what makes up nucleic acids primary structure
bases
They are large molecules in the cell nucleus storing information and direct activities for cellular growth and reproduction
nucleotides
A nucleotide is composed of a
base, a sugar, and a phosphate group
(bond between PO4 and sugar)
phosphodiester linkages
When nucleotides are joined by phosphodiester linkages, (bond between PO4 and sugar)
polynucleotides are formed
2 most important nucleic acids are
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) & RNA (ribonucleic acid).
Is DNA or RNA larger
DNA
is the inherited genetic material controlling protein synthesis.
DNA
DNA structure
It is a double helical structure, where the helix is made up of sugar-phosphate groups.
The double helix consisted of
2 polynucleotide strands winding about each other like a spiral staircase.
are seen within the structure which are H bonds between bases
Bridges
The H bond formed is between
the bases, adenine & thymine (2 H bonds) and guanine & cytosine
(3 H bonds) The pairs AT and GC are called
complimentary base pairs
Bases used in DNA are both
purine (adenine & guanine) and pyrimidine (cytosine & thymine)
Sugar used in DNA is a
pentose, deoxyribose.
RNA Structure
The structure is with single chain instead of a double helix as in DNA.
The sugar used in RNA is another
pentose, ribose.
RNA The base pairs are
adenine & uracil and guanine & cytosine.
Alterations in the DNA base sequence leads to
gene mutation.
Small living particles, with 3 to 200 genes, that cannot replicate without a host cell are called
Viruses.
DNA replication takes place in the
nucleus
begins with the “unzipping” of the parent molecule as the H bonds between the base pairs are broken.
DNA replication