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ISSN: 2329-8936
Transcriptomics:Open Access
Perspective

Structure and Functions of Nucleic Acid

Daniel F Jarosz*
Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, United States

DESCRIPTION In addition, phosphoric acid, pentose sugar, and a few nitrogen-

containing cyclic bases make up the RNA molecule. The sugar
Nucleic acids are naturally occurring chemical compounds that moiety of RNA is D-ribose. RNA has the heterocyclic bases
serve as the primary information carrying molecules in cells. Adenine (A), Guanine (G), Cytosine (C), and Uracil (U). The
They play a crucial role in controlling protein synthesis. These RNA can occasionally fold back to form a double helix. There
are of 2 types, namely Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) and are three different categories of RNA molecules such as
Ribonucleic Acid (RNA). It is possible to decompose the messenger RNA (mRNA), Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) which serves
naturally occurring chemical molecule nucleic acid to produce as the building block for protein synthesis and Transfer RNA
phosphoric acid, sugars, and a variety of organic bases (purines (tRNA) which transports the amino acids.
and pyrimidines). They are responsible to control the synthesis
of proteins. Nucleic acids determine the inherited traits of every It contains basic nitrogen compounds, sugar moiety and
living creature. phosphate groups.

All organisms and the majority of viruses have genetic material Nucleic acids contain purine bases, which are heterocyclic
made up of DNA, which is the ultimate life plan. RNA is the substances made up of a fused pyrimidine ring and imidazole
genetic material of certain viruses, but it is also present in all ring. These include:
living cells and is crucial to many biological activities. Adenine: It is a white crystalline purine base with a molecular
weight of 135.15 Daltons and a melting point of 360°C to
Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) 365°C and is a building block of both RNA and DNA. In DNA,
it pairs with thymine whereas in RNA pairs with uracil.
Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) is a polymer made of two
polynucleotide chains that coil around one another to form a Guanine: It is a colorless, crystalline substance with a molecular
double helix structure. It contains the genetic material which is weight of 151.15 Daltons which is present in DNA and RNA.
necessary to develop, function, grow, and reproduce in all Cytosine pairs with guanine in both DNA and RNA.
creatures. The DNA of an individual may be found in almost Pyrimidines: Two nitrogen atoms make up the six-membered
each and every cell. ring that makes up pyrimidine bases. These include:
Cellular organelles called mitochondria transform food-derived Cytosine: It is à white crystalline compound with a molecular
energy into a form that can be utilized by cells. The majority of weight of 111.12 Daltons and a melting point of 320-325°C, is
DNA is found in the cell nucleus (where it is known as nuclear present in both RNA and DNA.
DNA), and small fraction of DNA is observed in mitochondria
(where it is called mitochondrial DNA or mtDNA). Thymine: Thymine is found in only in DNA molecules. It has a
molecular weight of 126.13 Daltons. It helps in stabilizing the
Adenine (A), Guanine (G), Cytosine (C), and Thymine (C) are nucleic acid structures.
the four chemical bases that make up the code that stores the
information in DNA. More than 99 percent of the 3 billion Uracil: It is a white, crystalline pyrimidine base with a molecular
bases that make up human DNA are the same in every person. weight of 112.10 Daltons and a melting point of 338°C. It is
present in RNA.
Ribonucleic acid (RNA) In DNA and RNA, the sugar moiety present is pentose. In the
RNA is a single-stranded polymer which has the similarities of nucleic acid, these are of two, namely glucose and deoxyribose.
DNA. Unlike DNA, it contains the sugar ribose. It plays various Glucose is present in RNA whereas deoxyribose is present in
biological roles in coding, decoding, expression and regulation DNA.
of genes.

Correspondence to: Daniel F Jarosz, Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine,
Stanford, United States, E-mail: [email protected]
Received: 01-Jun-2022, Manuscript No. TOA-22-18457; Editor assigned: 03-Jun-2022, Pre QC No. TOA-22-18457 (PQ); Reviewed: 17-
Jun-2022, QC No. TOA-22-18457; Revised: 27-Jun-2022, Manuscript No. TOA-22-18457 (R); Published: 04-Jul-2022, DOI: 10.35248/2329-8936.22.8.115
Citation: Jarosz DF (2022) Structure and Functions of Nucleic Acid. Transcriptomics. 8:115.
Copyright: © 2022 Jarosz DF. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution
License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Transcriptomics, Vol.8 Iss.3 No:1000115 1

Jarosz DF

Phosphate is one of the basic elements of nucleic acids. It has CONCLUSION

the monovalent hydroxyl groups and one divalent oxygen atom
which are joined to the pentavalent phosphorus atom. With the Nucleic acid plays a pivotal role in transmission of genetic
phosphate esterified to the 5'-carbon, the base is covalently information. Deoxyribonucleic acid and ribonucleic acid are the
linked (at N1 for pyrimidines and N9 for purines). By removing two primary constituents of nucleic acid. DNA is important in
water-related components, the N-glycosyl bond is created various processes of cell life. Replication, transcription and
(hydroxyl groups from pentose and hydrogen atoms from the regulation of expression of many genes depend on local changes
base). in DNA structure. RNA is a single stranded structure. It may
leads to mutations also. mRNA, tRNA and rRNA are different
The transmission of inherited traits from parents to children is types of RNA. RNA mainly involves in the regulation of gene
mediated by nucleic acids. In our body, they produce proteins. expression.
Forensic professionals can establish paternity via DNA
fingerprinting. Furthermore, it is employed to identify criminals.

Transcriptomics, Vol.8 Iss.3 No:1000115 2