Name: Karen C.

Sulpico Date: March 13, 2021

Section: BSN 1-Y1-13
INTRODUCTION
This experiment is about the components of nucleic acids. According to Wikipedia
“Nucleic acids are the biopolymers, or large biomolecules, essential to all known forms of life.
The term nucleic acid is the overall name for DNA and RNA. They are composed of nucleotides,
which are the monomers made of three components: a 5-carbon sugar, a phosphate group and a
nitrogenous base.”

In this qualitative test we are going to use the RNA sample derived from yeast to test the
chemical components presence in nucleic acid. We would test if the RNA from yeast is not
soluble in cold water then the cold water is not able to break apart the solute. We would also test
if the nucleic acid has purine in it then it will prove that nucleic acid can energy transfer,
metabolic regulation, and the synthesis of DNA and RNA.

MATERIALS

 RNA derived from yeast  10ml of sulfuric acid

 cold water  burden burner
 hot water  10ml of ammoniacal silver nitrate
 ethanol solution
 diluted hydrochloric acid solution  10ml of ammonium hydroxide
 diluted sodium hydroxide solution. solution

 test tube  10ml of molisch reagent.

METHODS

First Mr. Joselito Jr. Tumulak test the solubility of RNA from yeast by placing a pinch of yeast
in five separated test tubes and then add 2ml of each solvent to the corresponding test tubes.
After we test the solubility of nucleic acids we will test the chemical components of nucleic acids
but before we conduct this chemical test it is very necessary that the RNA should undergo
hydrolysis first. Hydrolysis is conducted by placing a pinch of yeast RNA in a test tube then mix
it with 10% of sulfuric acid solution and then heat the mixture to boiling for 2 minutes. Cool the
mixture after boiling and then we can start to the second test.

Let us begin by doing the test for purine. Put 1 ml of hydrolysate in a separate testing tube and
then add 5 drops of ammoniacal silver nitrate after which you will add 1 ml of concentrated
ammonium hydroxide solution.

Next is the test for the presence of pentose sugar. This is done by placing 1 ml of hydrolysate
into a separate test tube, mix it with 2 drops of molisch reagent and tilt the tube at a 45-degree
angle and superimpose 1 ml of concentrated sulfuric acid along the side.

The next test is a test for the presence of phosphate group. To do this you have to place 1 ml of
hydrolysate in a separate test tube and mix with 3 ml of ammonium hydroxide solution and then
add 10% of nitric acid solution, continue the addition of nitric acid until the solution give an
acidic reaction to litmus paper. After that add 3 ml of ammonium olive date solution heat the
mixture for 2 minutes.

And this is all the methods in conducting the components of nucleic acid.

DATA

Solubility of RNA derived from yeast

Solvent: Observation:

Cold Water the RNA deived from yeast is not soluble in

cold water, it only stays in the bottom but
they didn’t mix together.
Hot Water In hot wate it seems that the RNA derived
from yest is slightly soluble in hot water but
there are still some residue in the bottom of
the test tube.
Ethanol The RNA from yest is not soluble in ethanol.
Diluted Hydrochloric The RNA from yest is not soluble in diluted
hydrochloric either, the yeast stay in the
botoom and the added solvent in top of yeast
 is clear.
Diluted Sodium Hydroxide It seems that the RNA derived from yeats is
very soluble in dilued sdium hydroxide
Test for the Presence of Chemical Compound in Nucleic Acid

Purine Positive – the presence of white precipitate is

a positive result
Pentose Sugar Positive – the formation of purple ring in
dicates the presence of a carbohydrates
Phosphate Group The formation of a yellow precipitate
indicates the presence of a phosphate group.
ANALYSIS

In the solubility of RNA, it shows that the only solvent that can fully dissolve the yeast is the
diluted sodium hydroxide. The RNA derived from the yeast is slightly soluble in hot water but
not soluble in cold water, ethanol and diluted hydrochloric solution.

We also conducted a test for the presence of nitrogenous base, pentose sugar and phosphate
group in nucleotide monomer.The tests for the presence of purine is positive. The test tube
containing the solution shows a presence of white precipitate that would mean that nucleotide
monomer is indeed have a purine in it. The test for determining the presence of pentose sugar
and phosphate group also resulted a positive result.

CONCLUSION

We conclude that the solubility of RNA is soluble in sodium hydroxide. We also

conclude that the RNA from yeast is slightly soluble in hot water but not soluble in cold water,
ethanol and diluted hydrochloric solution. We also do some test to determine the presence of
chemical components in nucleic acids and it is proven that nucleic acid is composed of
nitrogenous base, pentose sugar and phosphate group.

REFERENCES

Nucleic Acid Qualitative Tests

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8B5ZIxIIT4g

Nucleic Acid explanation

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nucleic_acid#:~:text=Nucleic%20acids%20are%20the
%20biopolymers,group%20and%20a%20nitrogenous%20base.