Chemistry (/chemistry/) > Function Of Nucleic Acids (/chemistry/function-nucleic-acids/)

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Nucleic Acids - Classification & Function of

Nucleic Acids

What are Nucleic Acids?

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.

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA) are two major types of
nucleic acids. 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.

Table of Contents
Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA)

Ribonucleic Acid (RNA)

The Functions of Nucleic Acids

Related Topics
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 Nucleic Acids: DNA and RNA
(https://byjus.com/chemistry/nucleic-acids/)

Vitamins – Classification and Functions

(https://byjus.com/chemistry/vitamins-types/)

Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA)

Chemically, DNA is composed of a pentose sugar, phosphoric acid and some cyclic
bases containing nitrogen. The sugar moiety present in DNA molecules is β-D-2-
deoxyribose. The cyclic bases that have nitrogen in them are adenine (A), guanine
(G), cytosine(C) and thymine (T). These bases and their arrangement in the
molecules of DNA play an important role in the storage of information from one
generation to the next one. DNA has a double-strand helical structure in which the
strands are complementary to each other.

Ribonucleic Acid (RNA)

The RNA molecule is also composed of phosphoric acid, a pentose sugar and some
cyclic bases containing nitrogen (https://byjus.com/chemistry/nitrogen/). RNA has β-
D-ribose in it as the sugar moiety. The heterocyclic bases present in RNA are adenine
(A), guanine (G), cytosine(C) and uracil (U). In RNA the fourth base is different from
that of DNA. The RNA generally consists of a single strand which sometimes folds back;
that results in a double helix structure. There are three types of RNA molecules, each
having a specific function:

1. messenger RNA (m-RNA)

2. ribosomal RNA (r-RNA)

3. transfer RNA (t-RNA)

:
 The Functions of Nucleic Acids
1. Nucleic acids (https://byjus.com/chemistry/nucleic-acids/)
are responsible for the transmission of inherent characters
from parent to offspring.

2. They are responsible for the synthesis of protein in our body

3. DNA fingerprinting is a method used by forensic experts to

determine paternity. It is also used for the identification of
criminals. It has also played a major role in studies regarding
biological evolution and genetics.

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