Podcast
Questions and Answers
Which of the following is NOT a component of a nucleotide?
Which of the following is NOT a component of a nucleotide?
Which type of nucleotide forms RNA?
Which type of nucleotide forms RNA?
What is the primary structure of DNA composed of?
What is the primary structure of DNA composed of?
What is the secondary structure of DNA?
What is the secondary structure of DNA?
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What does DNA's structure allow organisms to do?
What does DNA's structure allow organisms to do?
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What is the primary structure of RNA composed of?
What is the primary structure of RNA composed of?
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What is the secondary structure of RNA?
What is the secondary structure of RNA?
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Which nucleotide is found only in ribonucleotides?
Which nucleotide is found only in ribonucleotides?
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Which nucleotide is found only in deoxyribonucleotides?
Which nucleotide is found only in deoxyribonucleotides?
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How do nucleotides polymerize to form nucleic acids?
How do nucleotides polymerize to form nucleic acids?
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Which direction is the nucleotide sequence of a DNA molecule written?
Which direction is the nucleotide sequence of a DNA molecule written?
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What did Watson and Crick determine about the structure of DNA?
What did Watson and Crick determine about the structure of DNA?
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Which of the following is true about complementary base pairing in DNA?
Which of the following is true about complementary base pairing in DNA?
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What is the function of genes?
What is the function of genes?
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What is the directionality of each DNA strand?
What is the directionality of each DNA strand?
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What is the role of RNA in protein synthesis?
What is the role of RNA in protein synthesis?
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How does DNA replication occur?
How does DNA replication occur?
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Why is DNA more stable than RNA?
Why is DNA more stable than RNA?
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What is the primary structure of RNA?
What is the primary structure of RNA?
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What would happen if there was no RNA in a cell?
What would happen if there was no RNA in a cell?
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Study Notes
Nucleotides
- A nucleotide consists of three components: a nitrogenous base, a sugar, and a phosphate group.
- Ribonucleotides, which form RNA, contain ribose as their sugar component.
- Deoxyribonucleotides, which form DNA, contain deoxyribose as their sugar component.
DNA Structure
- The primary structure of DNA is composed of a sequence of deoxyribonucleotides linked by phosphodiester bonds.
- The secondary structure of DNA is the double helix, formed by two complementary strands coiling around each other.
- DNA's structure allows organisms to store genetic information and facilitates replication and genetic inheritance.
RNA Structure
- The primary structure of RNA is composed of a sequence of ribonucleotides linked by phosphodiester bonds.
- The secondary structure of RNA is often single-stranded and can form various shapes through intramolecular base pairing.
- Uracil is a nucleotide found only in ribonucleotides, while thymine is found only in deoxyribonucleotides.
Nucleic Acids
- Nucleotides polymerize to form nucleic acids through condensation reactions, creating long chains that form the backbone of DNA and RNA.
- The nucleotide sequence of a DNA molecule is written in the 5' to 3' direction.
DNA Discovery and Properties
- Watson and Crick determined that DNA is structured as a double helix with specific base pairing (adenine with thymine, cytosine with guanine).
- Complementary base pairing in DNA is crucial for genetic fidelity, ensuring accurate replication and transcription.
- Genes function as units of heredity, coding for proteins that perform necessary cellular functions.
Directionality and Function
- Each DNA strand has directionality, being oriented in an antiparallel fashion (one strand 5' to 3', the other 3' to 5').
- RNA plays a critical role in protein synthesis, acting as a messenger (mRNA) and as part of the functional machinery (tRNA and rRNA) that translates genetic code into proteins.
DNA Stability and RNA Function
- DNA is more stable than RNA due to its double-helix structure and the absence of a hydroxyl group on the 2' carbon of the ribose sugar.
- If there were no RNA in a cell, protein synthesis would halt, leading to failure in vital cellular processes and ultimately cell death.
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Description
Test your knowledge of nucleic acids with this quiz! Learn about the key concepts such as nucleotides, RNA, DNA structure, and base pairing.
