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Questions and Answers
Which nitrogenous bases are classified as pyrimidines in DNA?
What kind of bond forms the sugar-phosphate backbone of nucleic acids?
What is released during the formation of a phosphodiester bond?
Which component of nucleotides is NOT part of the sugar-phosphate backbone?
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What occurs to the pyrophosphate released during polymerization of nucleotides?
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What is unique about thymine among the nitrogenous bases?
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What is the significance of having a free hydroxyl group at the 3' carbon end of a nucleic acid strand?
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Study Notes
Pyrimidines and Purines
- DNA nitrogenous bases are classified into purines (adenine and guanine) with two rings and pyrimidines (cytosine and thymine) with a single ring.
- Thymine is exclusively found in DNA, distinguishing it from RNA.
Nucleoside Triphosphates
- Nucleotides link together via covalent 5'-3' phosphodiester bonds.
- The phosphate group at the 5' carbon of one nucleotide attaches to the hydroxyl group at the 3' carbon of the next nucleotide.
- This bonding creates the sugar-phosphate backbone, essential for the structure of nucleic acid strands.
Polymerization Process
- Deoxynucleotide triphosphates (dNTPs) serve as the building blocks for nucleic acid synthesis.
- During the formation of the sugar-phosphate backbone, the two outer phosphates are cleaved off and released as pyrophosphate.
- The newly formed nucleic acid strand has a terminal free phosphate at the 5' end and a free hydroxyl group at the 3' end.
- The hydrolysis of pyrophosphate provides the energy necessary for nucleotide polymerization and facilitates the growth of the nucleic acid chain.
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Description
Explore the fascinating world of pyrimidines in molecular biology. This quiz covers the structure and function of nucleoside triphosphates and the importance of thymine in DNA. Test your knowledge on the covalent bonds that link nucleotides together.
