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Questions and Answers
Where can DNA be found in eukaryotic cells?
What is the function of DNA in cells?
What is the term for the flow of information from DNA to RNA to protein?
What type of bonds join nucleotides together in DNA?
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What is the structure of DNA in most organisms?
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What is the term for the process of creating a copy of DNA?
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Study Notes
Nucleic Acids
- There are two types of nucleic acids: deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA), which are chemically distinct.
- DNA is the repository of genetic information and is present in eukaryotic organisms in chromosomes, mitochondria, and chloroplasts, while prokaryotic cells have a single chromosome and may contain nonchromosomal DNA in the form of plasmids.
DNA Structure
- DNA is a polymer of deoxyribonucleoside monophosphates covalently linked by 3'→5'-phosphodiester bonds.
- DNA exists as a double-stranded (ds) molecule, with two strands winding around each other to form a double helix, except for a few viruses that contain single-stranded (ss) DNA.
- DNA is associated with various proteins (nucleoprotein) in the nucleus of eukaryotic cells.
DNA Replication and Expression
- The genetic information in DNA is copied and transmitted to daughter cells through DNA replication.
- The flow of information from DNA to RNA to protein is termed the "central dogma" of molecular biology.
- Phosphodiester bonds join the 3'-hydroxyl group of one nucleotide to the 5'-hydroxyl group of an adjacent nucleotide through a phosphate group.
- The resulting long, unbranched DNA chain has polarity, with a 5'-end (with a free phosphate) and a 3'-end (with a free hydroxyl) that are not attached to other nucleotides.
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Description
Learn about the basics of DNA, its role in storing genetic information, and its different structures found in eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells. Understand the significance of DNA in chromosomes, mitochondria, and chloroplasts.
