Abo, Margaret Nicole

BSMLS 2C
Nucleic Acids Finals
Nucleic Acids
Chromosome
 Structure in the cell nucleus thought to be the carrier of genetic information

Gene
 Portion of a chromosome that controlled a specific inheritable trait

Composition of Nucleic Acids

a. Nucleic Acids
 Polymers
 Polynucleotides

b. Part of Nucleotide
 A five-membered ring monosaccharide
 A nitrogen-containing cyclic compound
 A phosphate group

c. Types of Nucleic Acids

 DNA
 RNA

d. Sugars
 DNA – 2-deoxyribose
 RNA – ribose

e. Bases
 Purine (2)
o Contains two-fused N-containing ring
o Adenine
o Guanine
 Pyrimidine (3)
o Has one nitrogen-containing ring
o Cytosine
o Thymine
o Uracil

f. Sugar + Base = Nucleoside

Abo, Margaret Nicole
BSMLS 2C
Nucleic Acids Finals

Adenosine Guanosine

g. Nucleoside + Phosphate = Nucleotide

 Are the building blocks of nucleic acids
 Monomers of the DNA and RNA polymers
 Is a 5’-monophosphate ester of a nucleoside
 Are named by adding 5’-monophosphate at the end of the name of the nucleoside

RIBONUCLEOTIDE VS. DEOXYRIBONUCLEOTIDE

Adenosine 5’-Monophosphate

Deoxycytidine Monophosphate (dCMP)

h. Nucleotides
Can add additional phosphate groups to form
diphosphate or triphosphate esters

Adenosine diphosphate (ADP)

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP)

Abo, Margaret Nicole
BSMLS 2C
Nucleic Acids Finals
Structure of DNA and RNA
1. Primary Structure
 Alternating deoxyribose and phosphate group
o Backbone of the molecule
o Provides structural stability
 The bases that are the side-chain groups
o Carry all the information necessary for protein synthesis

2. Secondary Structure
 Based on the following:
o Chargaff Rule that (A and T) and (G and C) are present in equimolar quantities
o X-ray diffraction photographs obtained by Rosalind Franklin and Maurice Wilkins
o Double Helix
- The 2 polynucleotide chains run in opposite directions
One 5’-OH and one 3’-OH terminal
- Bases are hydrophobic
- Sugar-phosphate backbone is exposed to the aqueous environment

3. Higher Structure
 Histones
o Basic protein to w/c the DNA is coiled around
 Nucleosomes
o Acidic DNA + basic histones
o Attract each other by electrostatic (ionic) forces

Structure of DNA and RNA

1. DNA
 Is almost always double-stranded (helical structure)
 2’-deoxyribose

2. RNA
 Single-stranded
 Ribose

Types of RNA
a. Messenger RNA (mRNA)
 Carry the genetic information from the DNA in the nucleus directly to the cytoplasm
Abo, Margaret Nicole
BSMLS 2C
Nucleic Acids Finals
 Consists of a chain of nucleotides whose sequence is exactly complementary to one of the strands of DNA

b. Transfer RNA (tRNA)

 Containing from 73 to 93 nucleotides per chain
 There is at least one different tRNA for each of the 20 AAs
 Transports amino acids to the site of protein synthesis in the ribosomes

c. Ribosomal RNA (rRNA)

 RNA in complexed with proteins in ribosomes

d. Ribozymes
 Catalytic RNA
 Catalyze the splicing of mRNA

Structure of DNA and RNA

1. Exons
 Coding sequences
 “expressed sequences”

2. Introns
 Noncoding sequences
 “intervening sequences”

THE DOGMA
This dogma forms the backbone of molecular biology and is represented by four major stages:
a. Replication
 DNA replicates its information in a process that involves many enzymes (aka DNA synthesis)

b. Transcription
 DNA codes for the production of messenger RNA (mRNA)

c. Processing (in eukaryotes)

 In eukaryotic cells, the mRNA is processed (essentially by splicing) and migrates from the nucleus to the cytoplasm

d. Translation
 mRNA carries coded information to ribosomes
 ribosomes “read” the information (aka protein synthesis)
Abo, Margaret Nicole
BSMLS 2C
Nucleic Acids Finals