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Questions and Answers
What is the primary function of DNA in organisms?
What is a nucleoside composed of?
Which structure was proposed for DNA by Watson and Crick?
What type of sugar is found in the nucleic acids?
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Which bond links the base and sugar in a nucleoside?
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What significant contribution did Friedrich Miescher make to the field of molecular biology?
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The term 'nucleic acid' was created by which scientist?
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Where is most DNA located in human cells?
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What is the correct description of the structure of DNA?
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Which characteristic of DNA is described by Chargaff's rule?
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What is a notable feature of DNA's molecular structure?
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Who were awarded the Nobel Prize in medicine in 1962 for their work on DNA?
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What does the 'gene' refer to in the context of DNA?
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Which form of DNA is most commonly represented in molecular biology?
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What is the distance between adjacent bases in a DNA strand?
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What are the dimensions of the minor and major grooves in DNA?
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Study Notes
Nucleic Acids
- Nucleic acids are biopolymers, essential for all living organisms.
- Two types of nucleic acids exist: DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) and RNA (ribonucleic acid).
Structure of Nucleic Acids
- Composed of three components: a pentose sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base.
DNA Overview
- DNA is the hereditary material in humans and almost all other organisms.
- Most DNA is located in the cell nucleus (nuclear DNA), but small amounts are found in mitochondria and chloroplasts.
- Each cell in a human body contains the same DNA.
History of DNA Research
- Friedrich Miescher discovered nuclein in 1869.
- Richard Altmann coined the term "nucleic acid" in 1889.
- In 1953, James Watson and Francis Crick determined DNA's double-helix structure.
- Rosalind Franklin and Maurice Wilkins contributed to the understanding of DNA's structure through X-ray diffraction studies.
DNA Structure
- A nucleoside is formed when a nitrogenous base attaches to a sugar through an N-glycosidic linkage.
- A phosphate group added to a nucleoside via a phosphoester linkage creates a nucleotide.
- Joining two nucleotides with a phosphodiester bond forms a polynucleotide.
- DNA is a polynucleotide, consisting of two antiparallel polynucleotide chains spiraling around a common axis, forming a right-handed double helix.
DNA Features
- The two strands of DNA run in opposite directions (3' end of one chain faces the 5' end of the other).
- Gene: The portion of DNA providing information for protein synthesis.
- Gene: Unit of genetics.
- DNA sequence: The order of bases in a polynucleotide chain, carrying genetic information.
- Chargaff's rules: The amount of guanine equals cytosine, and the amount of adenine equals thymine.
Additional DNA Details
- Diameter of DNA: 2.0 nm or 20 Angstroms.
- Distance between adjacent bases: 0.34 nm or 3.4 Angstroms.
- Complete helix turn length: 3.4 nm or 34 Angstroms.
- Number of base pairs per turn: 10.
- Minor groove: Shallow groove (-1.2 nm) in DNA molecule.
- Major groove: Deep groove (-2.2 nm) in DNA molecule.
DNA Forms
- A-form DNA
- B-form DNA
- Z-form DNA
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Description
Explore the fundamentals of nucleic acids including their structure, types, and significance in living organisms. Learn about the history of DNA research and the key contributions that led to the understanding of its double-helix structure.
