Nucleic Acid

NUCLEIC ACID
Nucleic Acid- is 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 functions of the
NUCLEIC ACIDS have to do
with the storage and
expression of genetic
information.
Nucleic acids are the most important
macromolecules for the continuity of
life. They carry the genetic blueprint of
a cell and carry instructions for the
functioning of the cell.
They contain carbon,
hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen,
and phosphorus; have acidic
character ; and are found in all
living beings.
They are linear
macromolecules formed by
the polymerization of units
called nucleotides.
 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.
Nucleic acids are polynucleotides
—that is, long chainlike
molecules composed of a series of
nearly identical building blocks
called nucleotides.
A nucleotide is made up of
three parts: (1) a phosphate
group, (2) a 5-carbon sugar,
(3) and a nitrogenous base.
The phosphate group is a molecule
containing one atom of phosphorus
covalently bound to four oxygen
residues, two of which may be
expressed as a hydroxyl group.
The 5-carbon sugar are
adenine, guanine, cytosine,
thymine, and uracil, which have
the symbols A, G, C, T, and U,
respectively.
A nitrogenous base is simply a
nitrogen-containing molecule
that has the same chemical
properties as a base
-they are particularly important
since they make up the building
blocks of DNA and RNA:
adenine, guanine, cytosine,
thymine and uracil.
 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).
Adenine is one of the two
purine nucleobases (the other
being guanine) used in forming
nucleotides of the nucleic
acids.
In DNA, adenine binds to thymine
via two hydrogen bonds to assist
in stabilizing the nucleic acid
structures. In RNA, which is used
for protein synthesis, adenine
binds to uracil.
Guanine, like other
nitrogenous bases, can be part
of a nucleotide. ... That makes
guanine an important part of
your genetic material.
Guanine bonds to
cytosine because they
both share three
hydrogen bonds.
Cytosine is an important part
of DNA and RNA, where it is
one of the nitrogenous bases
coding the genetic information
these molecules carry.
Cytosine can even be modified
into different bases to carry
epigenetic information. Cytosine
has other roles in the cell, too, as
the energy carrier and cofactor
CTP.
Thymine is found in the nucleic acid
DNA. In RNA thymine is replaced with
uracil in most cases. In DNA, thymine
binds to adenine via two hydrogen
bonds to assist in stabilizing the
nucleic acid structures.
Uracil is a common naturally
occurring pyrimidine found in RNA,
it base pairs with adenine and is
replaced by thymine in DNA.
Methylation of uracil produces
thymine.
Uracil's use in the body is to
help carry out the synthesis of
many enzymes necessary for
cell function through bonding
with riboses and phosphates.
A and G are categorized
as purines, and C, T, and
U are collectively called
pyrimidines.
All nucleic acids contain the
bases A, C, and G; T, however,
is found only in DNA, while U
is found in RNA.
THANK YOU FOR
LISTENING 😁

Nucleic Acid

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Nucleic Acid

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Nucleic Acid

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

NUCLEIC ACID

Nucleic Acid- is naturally

You might also like