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Questions and Answers
Which of the following is NOT a component of a nucleotide?
Which type of nucleotide forms RNA?
What is the primary structure of DNA composed of?
What is the secondary structure of DNA?
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What does DNA's structure allow organisms to do?
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What is the primary structure of RNA composed of?
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What is the secondary structure of RNA?
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Which nucleotide is found only in ribonucleotides?
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Which nucleotide is found only in deoxyribonucleotides?
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How do nucleotides polymerize to form nucleic acids?
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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?
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Which of the following is true about complementary base pairing in DNA?
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What is the function of genes?
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What is the directionality of each DNA strand?
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What is the role of RNA in protein synthesis?
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How does DNA replication occur?
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Why is DNA more stable than RNA?
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What is the primary structure of RNA?
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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.
