Nucleic acids

- the most important macromolecules for the continuity of life

- carry the genetic blueprint of a cell and instructions for the functioning of the cell
- the two main types of nucleic acids are the DNA and RNA

Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) is a double-stranded nucleic acid. It stores genetic information

and serves as the library of the cell of all living organisms, ranging from single-celled bacteria to
multicellular mammals. In eukaryotes, the DNA is located in the nucleus while in prokaryotes,
which do not have a membrane-bound nucleus, the DNA simply exists in the region of the cell
called nucleoid.

Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) is a single-stranded nucleic acid. If DNA can be found in the nucleus,
RNA on the other hand is located outside the nucleus. It is used to transfer genetic information
from one part of the cell to another and it can also be used to synthesize protein. There are
different types of RNA – Ribosomal RNA, Transfer RNA, and Messenger RNA.
1. mRNA (Messenger RNA) – acts as the messenger between DNA and protein production
2. tRNA (Transfer RNA) – responsible for bringing amino acids together during translation
to form the growing peptide chain that will become a protein
3. rRNA (Ribosomal RNA) – combines with special proteins to form ribosomes which
then mRNA to form proteins

DNA and RNA are both polymers. A polymer is basically a long molecule made up of tiny units
called monomers and the monomers that make up DNA and RNA are known as nucleotides.
There are different types of nucleotides but they all have three basic parts. Each nucleotide has a
pentose sugar (a five-carbon sugar), a nitrogenous base, and a phosphate group.
In DNA, the type of sugar that we have is a five-carbon sugar known as deoxyribose. On the
other hand, RNA has ribose sugar which also has a nitrogenous base and a phosphate group just
like the DNA but the difference between the two is that RNA has an extra hydroxyl group.

Nitrogenous Base
- an important component of nucleotides
- organic molecules which are so named because they contain carbon and nitrogen
- considered as bases because they contain an amino group that has the potential of binding
an extra hydrogen, and thus, decreases the hydrogen ion concentration in its environment,
making it more basic
Nitrogenous bases found in DNA and RNA:
 DNA contains the bases Adenine, Guanine, Cytosine, and Thymine
 RNA contains the bases Adenine, Guanine, and Cytosine but instead of thymine,
it has Uracil
The nitrogenous bases can be divided into two categories: Purines and Pyrimidines
 Purines contain 2 carbon-nitrogen rings. One of the rings is a six-membered ring
and the other one is a five-membered ring. The purines include adenine and
guanine.
 Pyrimidines contain only one carbon-nitrogen ring and it’s a six-membered ring.
The pyrimidines include cytosine, thymine, and uracil.
Nucleotide vs Nucleoside
 Nucleotide has 3 parts which include pentose sugar (a five-carbon sugar), a nitrogenous
base, and a phosphate group.
 Nucleoside has only 2 parts which include five-carbon sugar and nitrogenous base but it
has no phosphate group.

Structures of DNA and RNA

DNA forms an alpha-helix structure. 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, like the
steps of a staircase, in pairs; the pairs are bound to each other by hydrogen bonds. Every base
pair in the double helix is separated from the next base pair by 0.34 nm. The two strands of the
helix run in opposite directions, meaning that the 5′ carbon end of one strand will face the 3′
carbon end of its matching strand.

RNA is single-stranded and is made of ribonucleotides that are linked by phosphodiester bonds.
A ribonucleotide in the RNA chain contains ribose (the pentose sugar), one of the four
nitrogenous bases (A, U, G, and C), and the phosphate group.
Within a double-stranded DNA molecule, A (adenine) in one strand always bonds with T
(thymine) in the complementary strand, and G (guanine) in one strand always bonds with C
(cytosine) in the complementary strand. A–T and G–C are known as base pairs.

SUMMARY