12/11/2022

Human Biology (Zoo 105)

04- Nucleic Acids

Biology and
Protein Synthesis

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Dr. Essam H. Ibrahim

Associate Prof. of Immunology and Biotechnology
Faculty of Science, King Khalid University

Structure of Nucleic Acids

There are two types of nucleic acids:

• DNA: makes up the genes, RNA: is an intermediary
• Stores the genetic information that conveys DNA’s
in cell and organisms.
• DNA codes the order of amino instructions that detect the
acids to be joined to form a amino acid sequence in
protein. protein.

DeoxyriboNucleic Acid RiboNucleic Acid

Store Genetic Info Decode Genetic Info

Dr. Essam Ibrahim

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Structure of Nucleic Acids

Nucleic acids are polymers of nucleotides

Nucleotide is made of:

1- Pentose sugar

2- Nitrogenous base

3- Phosphate group

Dr. Essam Ibrahim

Structure of Nucleic Acids

Nucleotide
1- Pentose sugar
Pentose sugar plays an important role in nucleic acid formation
Ribose sugar share in RNA synthesis
DeoxyRibose sugar share in DNA synthesis
When an Oxygen atom at Carbon no. 2 (C2) is removed from Ribose
sugar, it converts into Deoxyribose

Dr. Essam Ibrahim

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Structure of Nucleic Acids

Nucleotide (Cont.)
2- Nitrogenous Bases
There are two groups:

A- Pyrimidines

Consists of one ring and forms:

Uracil (U), Cytosine (C)and Thymine (T)
B- Purines
Consists of Two rings and
forms:
Adinine (A), and
Guanine (G)

Structure of Nucleic Acids

Nucleotide (Cont.)
3- Phosphate group
Phosphate group attaches to pentose sugar through
phosphodiester bond
Pentos sugar + Nitrogenous base = Nucleoside
Nucleoside + Phosphate group = Nucleotide
B
BASE O O O
ll ll ll
5CH2OH - (5)
O-P-O O-P-O O-P-O CH2 O
O l - l - l - (4) (1)
Pentose 1 OTri- ODi- O
Mono- (3) (2)
3
OH OH
OH OH
Nucleoside Dr. Essam Ibrahim
Nucleotide

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Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP)

• ATP is a nucleotide of adenosine composed of
Ribose, Adenine and Phosphate.
Adenine
Phosphate

Ribose

• Derives its name from three phosphates attached

to the five-carbon portion of the Ribose molecule.

Dr. Essam Ibrahim

DNA Structure and Function

DeoxyriboNucleic Acid (DNA) is the
genetic material, located in the nucleus
and found principally in chromosomes.

The genetic material do three things:

1- Replicate, so it can transmit information to the next generation
2- Store information
3- Undergo mutations that provide genetic variability

Dr. Essam Ibrahim

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DNA Structure
1-DNA is a Double Helix = 2 spiral strands

2- DNA is a series of joined Nucleotides

5’-A-C-G-T-G-A-C-T-G-A-T-C-A-T-3’
3’-T-G-C-A-C-T-G-A-C-T-A-G-T-A-5’

3- Each strand is polynucleotides because

it is composed of a series of nucleotides

4- Each Nucleotide is a molecule composed of three units

a- Phosphate group b- Pentose sugar c- Nitrogenous base
Ph
N.
gr. O Base
Pentose
sugar

DNA Structure( Cont.)

5- Phosphate group and Pentose sugar make
up backbone of each single DNA strand.
Nitrogenous bases project outside.

6- Each DNA strand pairs with another DNA

strand using hydrogen bond from
Nitrogenous bases from each strand (C#G
and T#A).
This is called base complementary pairing.
Pairing makes two strands look like a ladder.

7- Phosphate group and Pentose sugar make up the two stands of

the ladder and Nitrogenous bases represents the steps

8- A pairs with T using two hydrogen bonds while C pairs with G

with triple bonds.

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3’ end
DNA Structure( Cont.)
C3
C1

P C5 A
T C5
9- The Strands run
C1
anti-parallel i.e. run in C3 C1
C3

opposite direction
P C
G
C5 C5
5’ end C1 C3
has free phosphate C3 G pairs with C C1
C5 A
•Two nucleotide chains P
T C5
C1 C3
In opposite orientations C3 C1

Anti parallel
A
P T
C5
C5
•Held together by C3
C1
C1
C3

hydrogen bonds C5 G
C
P
C5
•Twisted into a helix C1 C3
C3 C1

C5 A
T C5
P
C1
3’ end C3 A pairs with T
5’ end
has free sugar

DNA Structure( Cont.)

Nucleic Acid Synthesis
Phosphate group attaches
to carbon no.3 from one
nucleotide and carbon no.5
to another nucleotide

Through hydrogen bonding one

DNA strand pairs with another
DNA strand where
A join to T and
C join to G

RNA strand does not pair with

any RNA or DNA strand.
Dr. Essam Ibrahim

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Overview of DNA structure

DNA Complementary Ladder configuration. Notice

Double base pairing that the uprights are composed of
Helix. between strands. phosphate and sugar molecules
and that the rungs are
complementary paired bases.
Dr. Essam Ibrahim

Polynucleotide Chain

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Structure of RNA
RiboNucleic Acid = RNA
RNA is made up of nucleotides containing:
a) the sugar is ribose
b) 4 bases with the base uracil in place of thymine
Single stranded, sometimes double strand back on itself
RNA is a helper to DNA allowing protein synthesis
Four nucleotides
that make up the
RNA molecules
A, C, G & U (A) (G)

(C) (U) (T)

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There are four different nitrogen bases:

In DNA: In RNA:
Adenine (A) Adenine (A)
Purine = 2 rings Guanine (G) Purine =2 rings Guanine (G)
Thymine (T) Uracil (U)
Pyrimidine= 1 ring Pyrimidine= 1 ring Cytosine (C)
Cytosine (C)

(A) (G)

(C) (U) (T)

DNA-RNA Similarities and difference

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Types of RNA
There three major types of RNA
1. Ribosomal RNA (rRNA).

2- Messenger RNA (mRNA).

3- Transfer RNA (tRNA).

1- Ribosomal RNA (rRNA)

Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) is produced by DNA template in
the nucleolus
rRNA joins with proteins made in the cytoplasm to form
the subunits of ribosomes.
Subunits of ribosomes leave the nucleus to cytoplasm
where protein synthesis occurs. Proteins are synthesized
at Ribosomes
Ribosomes are found in
the cytoplasm either
A- free,
B- in cluster (Plyribosomes) or
C- attached to endoplasmic
reticulum.

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2- Messenger RNA (mRNA)

Messenger RNA (mRNA) is produced in the nucleus
where DNAserves as a template for its formation.
mRNA carries genetic information from DNA to the
ribosomes in the cytoplasm where protein synthesis occurs

mRNA is linear molecule

3- Transfer RNA (tRNA)

Transfer RNA (tRNA) is produced by DNA template in
the nucleus
tRNA transfers amino acids to the ribosomes where
amino acids are joined forming protein
There are 20 different amino acids in proteins, therefore
at least 20 tRNA must be functioning in the cell.

Each type of tRNA carries only one type of

Amino acid
tRNA has an anti-codon (3 nucleotide
sequence ) that can recognize codon
on mRNA
mRNA

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Codon-Anticodon base pairing

Molecules of transfer RNA (tRNA) contain a

complementary anticodon on one end and the
appropriate amino acid on the other.

Ribosome

Some brain-storming questions

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Some brain-storming questions

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