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Assignment No.1 On Nucleic Acids

The document summarizes key concepts about nucleic acids: Nucleic acids are polymers of nucleotides that serve as the genetic material of cells. DNA stores and transfers genetic information found in the cell nucleus. RNA is involved in protein synthesis and found throughout the cell. Nucleotides are the monomers of nucleic acids, composed of a nucleoside (pentose sugar + nitrogenous base) bonded to phosphate. DNA is made of nucleotides containing deoxyribose, adenine, guanine, cytosine, thymine bases bonded together in a double helix shape.

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Ruel John Ranay
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97 views3 pages

Assignment No.1 On Nucleic Acids

The document summarizes key concepts about nucleic acids: Nucleic acids are polymers of nucleotides that serve as the genetic material of cells. DNA stores and transfers genetic information found in the cell nucleus. RNA is involved in protein synthesis and found throughout the cell. Nucleotides are the monomers of nucleic acids, composed of a nucleoside (pentose sugar + nitrogenous base) bonded to phosphate. DNA is made of nucleotides containing deoxyribose, adenine, guanine, cytosine, thymine bases bonded together in a double helix shape.

Uploaded by

Ruel John Ranay
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Name:

Course & Year: BSN 1-G


ASSIGNMENT NO.1 ON NUCLEIC ACIDS

1.) Define Nucleic Acid.


 Nucleic acids are polymeric molecules in which the repeating units are nucleotides.
Cells contain two kinds of nucleic acids—deoxyribonucleic acids (DNA) and
ribonucleic acids (RNA).
2.) a.) Give the primary biochemical function for each of the types of nucleic acids.
 The storage and transfer of genetic information is the function of deoxyribonucleic
acids (DNA). It is used to control many functions of a living cell, whereas ribonucleic
acids (RNA) are involved in the synthesis of proteins, which are molecules that carry
out essential cellular functions.
b.) Within the cell, indicate where each of these types of nucleic acid is located?
 The deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is found within the cell nucleus, whereas the
ribonucleic acid (RNA) is found throughout the cell.
3.) a.) Differentiate Nucleoside from Nucleotide.
 A nucleoside is a compound formed from a pentose sugar and a purine or
pyrimidine base derivative. A nucleotide is a nucleoside to which a phosphate group
has been added (bonded to the sugar). Nucleotides are the monomers for nucleic
acid polymers
b.) Draw the general structure for a nucleoside and a nucleotide. Label each of
the subunits.
4.) What is the building block or the monomer from which a DNA molecule is made
of?
 Nucleotide

5.) Characterize DNA in terms of the:


a.) identity of the sugar unit and the
 Deoxyribose is the sugar unit of DNA.

b.) identity of the nitrogen-containing bases.


 Adenine, Guanine, and cytosine are found in both DNA & RNA. Thymine usually
occurs only in DNA.

6.) Classify each of the following nitrogen-containing bases as a Purine derivative


or as a Pyrimidine derivative.
a.) Cytosine = Pyrimidine derivative
b.) Uracil = Pyrimidine derivative
c.) Adenine = Purine derivative
d.) Guanine = Purine derivative
e.) Thymine = Pyrimidine derivative

7.) Give the composition for each of the four types of nucleotides found in DNA
molecule in terms of specific subunits present.
 Adenine & Guanine ( Purines )
 Cytosine & Thymine ( Pyrimidines )

8.) a.) Define Primary Nucleic Acid Structure


 The “backbone” of a nucleic acid molecule is a constant alternating sequence of
sugar and phosphate groups. Each sugar unit has a nitrogen-containing base
attached to it
b.) What are the two repeating subunits present in the backbone portion of
nucleic acid?
 Pentose sugar (2-deoxyribose in DNA; ribose in RNA) and a phosphate.
c.) To which subunit in a nucleic acid backbone are the nitrogen-containing bases
attached?
 It is attached to the sugar units of the backbone.
9.) Describe the DNA double helix structure in terms of its:
a.) General shape
 DNA is shaped like a double helix and is made up of two connected strands
that spiral around each other to form a twisted ladder. Each strand's
backbone is made up of deoxyribose and phosphate groups that alternate.
b.) What is on the outside of the helix?
 The sugar-phosphate backbones of the DNA strands make up the outside of
the helix.
c.) What is within the interior of the helix?
 The nitrogenous bases are stacked in pairs in the interior, resembling stair
steps, and are connected by hydrogen bonds.

10.) How many hydrogen bonds are formed between each of the following base
pairs:
a.) Adenine – Thymine base pairing
 Two hydrogen bonds
b.) Cytosine – Guanine base pairing
 Three hydrogen bonds

11.) Using the concept of complementary base pairing, write the complementary
DNA strand, for each of the following DNA base sequences:
a.) 5’ T T A C C G 3’ = 3’ AATGGC 5’
b.) 3’ G C A T A A 5’ = 5’ CGTATT 3’
c.) 5’ A C G T A T 3’ = 3’ TGCATA 5’

12.) a.) What is DNA replication process?


 DNA replication is a biological process that occurs in all living organisms and copies
their DNA; it is the basis for biological inheritance.

State the function of each of the following enzymes in the DNA replication
process:
b.) DNA helicase = It accelerates the unfolding of the double helix structure.
c.) DNA polymerase = It creates the new DNA strand while also proofreading and
correcting some errors.
d.) DNA ligase = Reassembles the two DNA strands into a double helix and
connects Okazaki fragments of the lagging strand

13.) What is Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)?


 A method for rapidly producing multiple copies of a DNA nucleotide sequence.

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