MANUEL, ERNEELYN M.

BS MARINE BIOLOGY 2-A

Topic: Nucleic Acids

Structure and composition of Nucleic Acid
DNA and RNA

Intended Learning Objectives

At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to:
1. describe the structure and composition of nucleic acid
2. differentiate DNA from RNA in terms of structure, composition and functions
Lecture:
- Nucleic acid, naturally occurring chemical compound that is capable of being broken down to
yield phosphoric acid, sugars, and a mixture of organic bases (purines and pyrimidines).
- Nucleic acids are the main information-carrying molecules of the cell, and, by directing the
process of protein synthesis, they determine the inherited characteristics of every living thing.
- The two main classes of nucleic acids are deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid
(RNA). DNA is the master blueprint for life and constitutes the genetic material in all free-living
organisms and most viruses. RNA is the genetic material of certain viruses, but it is also found
in all living cells, where it plays an important role in certain processes such as the making of
proteins.
Nucleotides: Building Blocks of Nucleic Acids
Basic structure
- Nucleic acids are polynucleotides—that is, long chainlike molecules composed of a series of nearly identical
building blocks called nucleotides.
- Each nucleotide consists of a nitrogen-containing aromatic base attached to a pentose (five-carbon) sugar, which
is in turn attached to a phosphate group.

- Each nucleic acid contains four of five possible nitrogen-

Containing bases: adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), thymine (T), and uracil (U). A and G are categorized
as purines, and C, T, and U are collectively called pyrimidines.

- A
l
l nucleic acids contain the bases A, C, and G; T, however, is found only in DNA, while U is found in RNA.
- The pentose sugar in DNA (2′-deoxyribose) differs from the sugar in RNA (ribose) by the absence of a hydroxyl
group (―OH) on the 2′ carbon of the sugar ring.
- Without an attached phosphate group, the sugar attached to one of the bases is known as a nucleoside.
- The phosphate group connects successive sugar residues by bridging the 5′-hydroxyl group on one sugar to the
3′-hydroxyl group of the next sugar in the chain. These nucleoside linkages are called phosphodiester bonds and
are the same in RNA and DNA.
The Chemical Nature of DNA
Names of DNA Base Derivatives

Base Nucleoside 5'-Nucleotide

Adenine 2'-Deoxyadenosine 2'-Deoxyadenosine-5'-monophosphate

Cytosine 2'-Deoxycytidine 2'-Deoxycytidine-5'-monophosphate
Guanine 2'-Deoxyguanosine 2'-Deoxyguanosine-5'-monophosphate
Thymine 2'-Deoxythymidine 2'-Deoxythymidine-5'-monophosphate
RNA, a Different Nucleic Acid
- RNA, is distributed throughout the cell, most commonly in small numerous organelles called ribosomes.
- Three kinds of RNA are identified, the largest subgroup (85 to 90%) being ribosomal RNA, rRNA, the major
component of ribosomes, together with proteins. The size of rRNA molecules varies, but is generally less than a
thousandth the size of DNA
- The other forms of RNA are messenger RNA , mRNA, and transfer RNA , tRNA. Both have a more transient
existence and are smaller than rRNA.
- All these RNA's have similar constitutions, and differ from DNA in two important respects. As shown in the
following diagram, the sugar component of RNA is ribose, and the pyrimidine base uracil replaces the thymine
base of DNA.
- The RNA's play a vital role in the transfer of information (transcription) from the DNA library to the protein factories
called ribosomes, and in the interpretation of that information (translation) for the synthesis of specific
polypeptides.
STRUCTURE OF DNA AND RNA

Properties of DNA

Deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA, chains are typically found in a double helix, a structure in which two matching
(complementary) chains are stuck together.
- The sugars and phosphates lie on the outside of the helix, forming the backbone of the DNA; this portion of the
molecule is sometimes called the sugar-phosphate backbone.
- The nitrogenous bases extend into the interior, like the steps of a staircase, in pairs; the bases of a pair are bound
to each other by hydrogen bonds.
- The two strands of the helix run in opposite directions, meaning that the 5′ end of one strand is paired up with the
3′ end of its matching strand. (This is referred to as antiparallel orientation and is important for the copying of
DNA.)
- So, can any two bases decide to get together and form a pair in the double helix? The answer is a definite no.
Because of the sizes and functional groups of the bases, base pairing is highly specific: A can only pair with T,
and G can only pair with C, as shown below. This means that the two strands of a DNA double helix have a very
predictable relationship to each other.

Properties of RNA
 - Ribonucleic acid (RNA), unlike DNA, is usually single-stranded. A nucleotide in an RNA chain will contain ribose
(the five-carbon sugar), one of the four nitrogenous bases (A, U, G, or C), and a phosphate group. Here, we'll take
a look at four major types of RNA: messenger RNA (mRNA), ribosomal RNA (rRNA), transfer RNA (tRNA), and
regulatory RNAs.

Messenger RNA (mRNA)

- Messenger RNA (mRNA) is an intermediate between a protein-coding gene and its protein product.
- If a cell needs to make a particular protein, the gene encoding the protein will be turned “on,” meaning an RNA-
polymerizing enzyme will come and make an RNA copy, or transcript, of the gene’s DNA sequence.
- The transcript carries the same information as the DNA sequence of its gene. However, in the RNA molecule, the
base T is replaced with U.
- Once an mRNA has been produced, it will associate with a ribosome, a molecular machine that specializes in
assembling proteins out of amino acids.
- The ribosome uses the information in the mRNA to make a protein of a specific sequence, “reading out” the
mRNA’s nucleotides in groups of three (called codons) and adding a particular amino acid for each codon.

Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and transfer RNA (tRNA)

- Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) is a major component of ribosomes, where it helps mRNA bind in the right spot so its
sequence information can be read out. Some rRNAs also act as enzymes, meaning that they help accelerate
(catalyze) chemical reactions – in this case, the formation of bonds that link amino acids to form a protein. RNAs
that act as enzymes are known as ribozymes.

- Transfer RNAs (tRNAs) are also involved in protein synthesis, but their job is to act as carriers – to bring amino
acids to the ribosome, ensuring that the amino acid added to the chain is the one specified by the mRNA. Transfer
RNAs consist of a single strand of RNA, but this strand has complementary segments that stick together to make
double-stranded regions. This base-pairing creates a complex 3D structure important to the function of the
molecule.

Regulatory RNA (miRNAs and siRNAs)

- Some types of non-coding RNAs (RNAs that do not encode proteins) help regulate the expression of other genes.
Such RNAs may be called regulatory RNAs. For example, microRNAs (miRNAs) and small interfering
RNAs siRNAs are small regulatory RNA molecules about 22 nucleotides long. They bind to specific mRNA
molecules (with partly or fully complementary sequences) and reduce their stability or interfere with their
translation, providing a way for the cell to decrease or fine-tune levels of these mRNAs.
- These are just some examples out of many types of noncoding and regulatory RNAs. Scientists are still
discovering new varieties of noncoding RNA.