NUCLEIC ACIDS
GROUP 4
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
1 Describe the structure of nucleic acids and
define the two types of nucleic acids.
2 Explain the structure and role of DNA.
3 Explain the structure and roles of RNA.
WHAT IS NUCLEIC ACIDS?
Nucleic acids are the most
important macromolecules for the
continuity of life. They carry the
genetic blueprint of a cell and
carry instructions for the
functioning of the cell.
Nucleic acids are long-chain
polymeric molecules, the monomer
(the repeating unit) is known as
the nucleotides and hence
sometimes nucleic acids are
referred to as polynucleotides.
TWO MAJOR TYPES OF NUCLEIC ACIDS
DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC RIBONUCLEIC
ACID (DNA) ACID (RNA)
DNA and RNA are responsible for the inheritance and transmission of specific
characteristics from one generation to the other. There are prominently two types of
nucleic acids known to us. DNA and RNA are made up of monomers known as nucleotides.
The nucleotides combine with each other to form a polynucleotide, DNA or RNA.
DNA AND RNA
Each nucleotide is made up of three components:
NITROGENOUS BASE PENTOSE SUGAR PHOSPHATE GROUP
This is like the "code" of the This is the "backbone" or the This is like the "connector" that
nucleotide. central part of the nucleotide. links nucleotides together.
There are two types of In DNA, the pentose sugar is The phosphate group is attached
nitrogenous bases: purines deoxyribose, and in RNA, it is to the hydroxyl group of the 5′
(double-ring structures) and ribose. carbon of one sugar and the
pyrimidines (single-ring The difference between them is hydroxyl group of the 3′ carbon
structures). the presence of a hydroxyl (OH) of the sugar in the next
In DNA, the purines are adenine group on the second carbon of nucleotide.
(A) and guanine (G), and the ribose and a hydrogen (H) on the The connection between these
pyrimidines are cytosine (C) and second carbon of deoxyribose. phosphate groups and sugars
thymine (T). forms a backbone structure and
In RNA, thymine is replaced by is known as a phosphodiester
uracil (U), so the nitrogenous linkage.
bases are adenine (A), guanine The linkage is directional, running
(G), cytosine (C), and uracil (U). from the 5′ carbon to the 3′
carbon, giving rise to the terms 5′
end and 3′ end in the context of
DNA and RNA strands.
TWO MAJOR TYPES OF NUCLEIC ACIDS
There are prominently two types of nucleic
acids known to us.
DNA carries the genetic blueprint of the cell and is
passed on from parents to offspring (in the form of
chromosomes). It has a double-helical structure with the
two strands running in opposite directions, connected by
hydrogen bonds, and complementary to each other.
The sugar and phosphate lie on the outside of the helix,
forming the backbone of the DNA. The nitrogenous bases
are stacked in the interior. The pairs are bound to each
DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC other by hydrogen bonds.
ACID (DNA)
TWO MAJOR TYPES OF NUCLEIC ACIDS
There are prominently two types of nucleic
acids known to us.
Only certain types of base pairing are allowed. For
example, a certain purine can only pair with a certain
pyrimidine.
A can pair with T
G can pair with C
In other words, the
DNA strands are
complementary to
DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC each other.
ACID (DNA)
TWO MAJOR TYPES OF NUCLEIC ACIDS
There are prominently two types of nucleic
acids known to us.
RNA is single-stranded and is made of a pentose sugar
(ribose), a nitrogenous base, and a phosphate group.
RNA is involved in protein synthesis and its regulation.
RNA that carries information from DNA to ribosomes
during protein synthesis.
The nitrogenous bases in RNA are adenine (A), guanine
(G), cytosine (C), and uracil (U). Uracil replaces thymine
as a complementary base to adenine.
RIBONUCLEIC
ACID (RNA)
TWO MAJOR TYPES OF NUCLEIC ACIDS
There are prominently two types of nucleic
acids known to us.
There are four major types of RNA:
1. messenger RNA (mRNA) - carries the message from
DNA, which controls all of the cellular activities in a
cell.
In the cytoplasm, the
mRNA interacts with
ribosomes and other
cellular machinery.
RIBONUCLEIC
ACID (RNA)
TWO MAJOR TYPES OF NUCLEIC ACIDS
There are prominently two types of nucleic
acids known to us.
There are four major types of RNA:
2. ribosomal RNA (rRNA) - a major constituent of
ribosomes on which the mRNA binds.
The rRNA of the ribosome also has an enzymatic activity
(peptidyl transferase) and catalyzes the formation of
the peptide bonds between two aligned amino acids.
RIBONUCLEIC
ACID (RNA)
TWO MAJOR TYPES OF NUCLEIC ACIDS
There are prominently two types of nucleic
acids known to us.
There are four major types of RNA:
3. transfer RNA (tRNA) - one of the smallest of the
four types of RNA, usually 70–90 nucleotides long. It
carries the correct amino acid to the site of protein
synthesis.
4. microRNA (miRNA) - the smallest RNA molecules and
their role involves the regulation of gene expression
by interfering with the expression of certain mRNA
messages.
RIBONUCLEIC
ACID (RNA)
FEATURES OF DNA AND RNA
Information flow in an organism takes place from DNA to RNA to protein.
DNA dictates the structure of mRNA in a process known as transcription,
and RNA dictates the structure of protein in a process known as translation.
REFERENCE:
OpenStaxCollege. (2012, August 22). Nucleic acids.
Pressbooks. [Link]
[Link]/biology/chapter/nucleic-acids/?
fbclid=IwAR1GoSEscnyFjEsYrUv39eRSUq5bqlkz1DCcMVCO1
YPNpEakraOPm68AN6M#fig-ch03_05_03
Admin. (2022, July 29). Nucleic Acids - Definition, Examples
& Functions of Nucleic acids. BYJUS.
[Link]
fbclid=IwAR32xhcfINOPiyhciSGDFztlnwSqeRJRpFM0Dp8sT2xl
H4xASPWdMCgXY4E
THE END.
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