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Understanding Nucleic Acids and Their Functions

Nucleic acids are large biomolecules that serve as the primary information-carrying molecules in cells and make up genetic material. The two main types are DNA and RNA, which are composed of nucleotides containing a sugar, phosphate, and nitrogenous base. DNA is a double-stranded helix that replicates via DNA polymerase and other enzymes. RNA is single-stranded and comes in three types involved in protein synthesis.

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25 views33 pages

Understanding Nucleic Acids and Their Functions

Nucleic acids are large biomolecules that serve as the primary information-carrying molecules in cells and make up genetic material. The two main types are DNA and RNA, which are composed of nucleotides containing a sugar, phosphate, and nitrogenous base. DNA is a double-stranded helix that replicates via DNA polymerase and other enzymes. RNA is single-stranded and comes in three types involved in protein synthesis.

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QUEENY CORONEL
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

NUCLEIC

ACID
Nucleic Acids
• Are large biomolecules that play essential
roles in all cells and viruses.

• Found in the cell

• Are naturally occurring chemical compounds


that serve as the primary information-
carrying molecules in cells and make up the
genetic material.
Nucleic Acids
• They are composed of nucleotides, which
are the monomer components: 5-carbon
sugar, a phosphate group and a
nitrogenous base.

• The two main classes of nucleic acids


are Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and
Ribonucleic acid (RNA).
1. Phosphate and Nitrogenous base
2. They are arranged in repeating order of
sugar-phosphate.
3. The strands run in opposite directions.

4. Adenine-Thymine, Cytosine-Guanine

5. No, they have distinct pairs


Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA)
• Double strand helix
• Like a twisted ladder
• Has 4 nitrogenous bases
Group of
nitrogen
base
Ribonucleic Acid
(RNA)
• Single strand molecule
• Has 4 nitrogenous bases
3 types of RNA
mRNA-messenger
tRNA-transfer
rRNA-ribosomal
Nucleotid
e

Nucleotides are named by their


nitrogenous bases.
Discovered the 3D molecular structure of DNA
Phosphodiester bond
• Links nucleotide to nucleotide.
• Between the sugar of one nucleotide
and the phosphate of another
nucleotide, forming the sugar–
phosphate “backbone” for each strand.

Hydrogen bond
• Links nitrogen bases
Anti-parallel
DNA Replication
The process by which the genome's DNA is copied in cells.
Produces 2 semiconservative DNA strands.
Happens in the NUCLEUS.
Enzymes Responsible for DNA
Replication
Helicase-unzips the 2 strands of DNA
Primase-initializes the building of new strand.
DNA polymerase- the builder of the new strand.
Ligase- “gluer” it connects strands in lagging strands.
SSBP or Single Stranded Binding Proteins- Prevents
DNA strands from closing again upon separation.
PROTEIN SYNTHESIS
2 Processes
1. Transcription
- in the nucleus
-mRNA is made
2. Translation
-in the ribosomes
-proteins are made
20 Amino
Acids
TAC TGG TTT CCA CAA GTA ATT -
AUG ACC AAA GGU GUU CAU UAA -
DNA Strand
mRNA
UAC UGG UUU CCA CAA GUA AUU -
tRNA
Met Thr Lys Gly Val His Stop- Amino
acids
1. TAC ATA TAA AAA ACA AGA GAA TTA ACC ATT -
DNA strand
2. TAC CGA CCA TTT ATA CCC GAA TTA AAA ACT -
DNA strand
3. TAC GGG CAC AAA TTA AAC GGT CGT CCT ATC-
DNA strand
4. AUG CCC GUG UUU AAU UUC CCA GCA GGA UAG – mRNA
strand
5. AUG ACU AAU GUC AGU AGA UGG GAG CAA UAA – mRNA
strand
3 main stages of DNA Replication
1. Initiation
2. Elongation
3. Termination
Initiation
• Helicase unwinds and opens the DNA helix.
• Y-shaped structures called replication forks are formed.
• Two replication forks are formed at the origin of
replication, and these get extended in both directions
as replication proceeds.
Elongation
• an enzyme called DNA polymerase adds DNA nucleotides to the 3'
end of the template.

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