THE NUCLEIC ACIDS

© 2016 Paul Billiet ODWS

Friedrich Miescher in 1869

• Isolated what he called

nuclein from the nuclei of
pus cells
• Nuclein was shown to
have acidic properties,
hence it became called
nucleic acid

© 2016 Paul Billiet ODWS

Two types of nucleic acid are found
• Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)

• Ribonucleic acid (RNA)

© 2016 Paul Billiet ODWS

The distribution of nucleic acids in
the eukaryotic cell
• DNA is found in the nucleus
with small amounts in mitochondria and
chloroplasts
• RNA is found throughout the cell

© 2016 Paul Billiet ODWS

NUCLEIC ACID STRUCTURE
• Nucleic acids are polynucleotides

• Their building blocks are nucleotides

© 2016 Paul Billiet ODWS

NUCLEOTIDE STRUCTURE

PHOSPHATE SUGAR BASE

PURINES PYRIMIDINES
Ribose or
Deoxyribose Adenine (A) Cytocine (C)
Guanine(G) Thymine (T)
Uracil (U)

NUCLEOTIDE
© 2016 Paul Billiet ODWS
• There are three types of RNA molecules.
• Each has a different function in making or synthesizing
proteins.
1. Messenger RNA (mRNA) – carries DNAs message
from the nucleus to the ribosome.
2.Transfer RNA (tRNA)– carries the
correct amino acids to the ribosome so
they can be added to the growing
protein chain.
3. Ribosomal RNA (rRNA)– makes up
part of the ribosome.
Helps read mRNAs message and assemble
proteins.
There are two steps in protein synthesis.
1. Transcription
2. Translation
 Making Proteins

DNA: TAC CGA TCG TGA ACT

Transcription

mRNA: AUG GCU AGC ACU UGA

Translation

Protein: Met-Ala-Ser-Thr-Stop