Nucleic Acids

Nucleic Acids•Polymer made of monomers called nucleotides

•Nucleotides consist of a 5-carbon sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base.

•There are two nucleic acids• If the sugar is ribose the nucleic acid is

RNA (ribonucleic acid)• If the sugar is deoxyribose the nucleic

acid is DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)

•Has atoms of elements C-H-O-N-P

•Function: Store and transmit genetic information (heredity)

Nucleic Acids

DNA’s nitrogen bases

DNA is a polymer of nucleotides shaped like a twisted ladder. The phosphate of on nucleotide bonds with the sugar of another nucleotide by strong carbon bonds forming the sides of a DNA ladder. Nitrogen bases bond to each other by weak hydrogen bonds forming the rungs (steps of the ladder).

DNA is found in the nucleus of a cell. Since DNA controls cellular activity through coding for proteins, and it is in the nucleus, the nucleus is sometimes called the brain or control center of the cell.

DNA

• Is a double stranded twisted molecule that can look like a spiral staircse

• has the code for making proteins which direct all the cell’s activities

• Is made of DNA nucleotides• it is passed on to the next generation of cells so that

the next cells can direct their activity• DNA is made by copying DNA by the process called

REPLICATION• Replication happens in the nucleus

Messenger RNA (mRNA)

• Is a single strand copy of some of DNAs information made of RNA nucleotides

• It is used to carry the protein code from the DNA (Where is DNA?) to the ribosomes (Where will you find ribosomes?)

• it determines which amino acid is used and the order of the amino acids that make up the protein (What structure of a protein is the animo acid sequence?)

• mRNA is made by making a partial copy of DNA with RNA nucleotides by the process called TRANSCRIPTION

• Transcription happens in the ribosomes

Transfer RNA (tRNA)

• tRNA has 3 nitrogen bases on one end that code for a specific protein

• The other end of tRNA has a specific amino acid attachedd

mRNA

tRNA

Amino acid

Also…

• Nucleic Acids – molecules that store genetic information

• Examples: DNA, RNA, (also ATP)• produced in nucleus – replication, transcription• Used to produce proteins, which express traits• Nucleotides – sugar, phosphate, nitrogen base

• Build basic DNA nucleotides to show the parts

Answer These Questions

• P 37: 3 and 5 • P 45: 1 through 3