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NUCLEIC ACID Notes

Nucleic acids are biological macromolecules that play crucial roles in the storage, transmission, and expression of genetic information in living organisms. They are polymers made up of monomers called nucleotides. There are two main types of nucleic acids: deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA). The document discusses the functions of nucleic acids and the differences between nucleosides and nucleotides.

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15 views

NUCLEIC ACID Notes

Nucleic acids are biological macromolecules that play crucial roles in the storage, transmission, and expression of genetic information in living organisms. They are polymers made up of monomers called nucleotides. There are two main types of nucleic acids: deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA). The document discusses the functions of nucleic acids and the differences between nucleosides and nucleotides.

Uploaded by

tikamam881
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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‭NUCLEIC ACID‬

‭ .What are Nucleic acids?Mention their functions.‬


1
‭Ans:‬‭Nucleic acids are biological macromolecules that play crucial roles in the storage,‬
‭transmission, and expression of genetic information in living organisms.They are‬
‭polymers made up of monomers called nucleotides.There are two main types of nucleic‬
‭acids: deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA).‬

‭ unctions of Nucleic acids:‬


F
‭a.‬‭The nucleotide‬‭adenosine triphosphate (ATP) supplies the driving force of many‬
‭metabolic processes.‬
‭b.Several nucleotides are‬‭coenzymes, they act with enzymes to speed up (catalyze)‬
‭biochemical reactions.‬
‭c.Nucleotides are of great importance to living organisms, as they are the building‬
‭blocks of nucleic acids, the substances that control all hereditary characteristics.‬

‭ .What are the main differences between nucleosides and nucleotides?‬


2
‭Ans:‬‭The main difference between Nucleotide and Nucleoside is very crucial to‬
‭understand the key differences between the two.‬

‭Nucleoside‬ ‭Nucleotide‬

‭ nucleoside has a chemical composition‬ A


A ‭ nucleotide has a chemical composition‬
‭that consists of a sugar and base without‬ ‭that consists of a phosphate group, sugar‬
‭the phosphate group.‬ ‭and a nitrogenous base.‬

‭ he nucleoside occurs before the‬


T ‭ nucleotide is what occurs before RNA‬
A
‭nucleotide itself.‬ ‭and DNA.‬

‭ hey are used as agents in medicine that‬ T


T ‭ hey are one of the major causes of‬
‭are primarily used against viruses and‬ ‭cancer-causing agents to this very day.‬
‭cancer-causing agents.‬

‭ ome of the key examples of nucleosides‬ S


S ‭ ome of the major examples of‬
‭are the same as nucleotides only with the‬ ‭nucleotides are adenosine, guanosine‬
‭addition of phosphate groups.‬ ‭etc.‬
‭ .What are the different types of RNA found in cell ? Name them and write‬
3
‭their roles.‬
‭Ans: The different types of RNA found in cell are:‬
‭a. messenger RNA(mRNA).‬
‭b. transfer RNA(tRNA).‬
‭c. ribosomal RNA(rRNA).‬
‭These and other types of RNAs primarily carry out biochemical reactions, similar to‬
‭enzymes.RNAs play important roles in both normal cellular processes and diseases‬
‭considering their involvement in many regulatory process.‬

‭ essenger RNA(mRNA):‬
m
‭In protein synthesis,‬‭mRNA carries genetic codes from the DNA in the‬‭nucleus to‬
‭ribosomes, the sites of protein‬‭translation in the‬‭cytoplasm that means mRNA provides‬
‭the code that determines the order of amino acids in the protein‬

t‭ ransfer RNA(tRNA):‬
‭Transfer RNA (abbreviated tRNA) is a small RNA molecule that plays a key role in‬
‭protein synthesis.‬‭tRNA transports the amino acids to the ribosome to incorporate into‬
‭the growing protein chain.‬

‭ ibosomal RNA(rRNA):‬
r
‭Ribosomal RNA (rRNA), molecule in cells that forms part of the protein-synthesizing‬
‭organelle known as a ribosome and that is exported to the cytoplasm to‬‭help translate‬
‭the information in messenger RNA (mRNA) into protein‬‭.‬
‭ .Write the important structural and functional differences between DNA and RNA?‬
4
‭Ans:‬
‭DNA‬ ‭RNA‬

‭Structural Differences‬

‭ he pentose sugar present in DNA is‬


T ‭ he pentose sugar present in RNA is B - D‬
T
‭B-D-2-deoxyribose.‬ ‭ribose.‬

‭ NA contains cytosine and thymine as‬


D ‭ NA contains cytosine and uracil as‬
R
‭pyrimidine bases.‬ ‭purines bases.‬

‭It has a double-stranded helix structure.‬ ‭It has a single stranded a - helix structure.‬

I‭ ts molecule is relatively long with high‬ I‭ ts molecule is relatively short with low‬
‭molecular mass .‬ ‭molecular mass.‬

‭Functional differences‬

‭DNA is the chemical basis of heredity.‬ ‭RNA is not responsible for heredity.‬

I‭ t has unique property of replication It‬ ‭It usually does not replicate‬
‭controls the transmissioin of hereditary‬
‭characters‬

‭ .The two strands in DNA are not identical but are complementary.Explain.‬
5
‭Ans: Each Strand consists of four bases which are adenine, guanine, cytosine and‬
‭thymine.Within the DNA molecule,‬‭A bonds only with T and C bonds only with G.These‬
‭two strands are internally connected by hydrogen bonding between complementary‬
‭bases. The two strands of DNA are not identical because their sequence of bases has to‬
‭be complementary to each other‬
‭eg.If one sequence is ATGC then the complementary strand is TACG.‬
‭ .Name and draw the structures of different components of nucleosides and nucleotides‬
6
‭by which they are made up of.‬
‭Ans:‬

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