Nucleic Acids

Nucleic Acids

• Nucleic acids are essential for all forms of life and are found in all cells.
• There are two natural forms of nucleic acids: deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA).

Structure of Nucleic Acids

• Nucleic acids are made up of biopolymers, which are repeated sets of monomers that create nucleotides.
• Nucleotides are formed by the combination of three parts: a phosphate group, a 5-carbon sugar, and a nitrogen base.

Components of Nucleotides

• Phosphate group: consists of a phosphorus atom with four negatively charged oxygen atoms attached to it.
• 5-carbon sugar: also known as a pentose, includes ribose and deoxyribose.
• Nitrogen base: attached to the 5-carbon sugar and phosphate group to form a nucleotide.

Importance of Nucleotide Structure

• Understanding the structure of nucleotides is crucial to understanding the structure of nucleic acids.