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Molecular BiochemistryBioc.432 Lab 1: Introduction to nucleic acids (Structural properties). Nucleotide Structure. Nucleic acids are polymers of nucleotides Nucleotides consist of. sugar RNA - ribose DNA - deoxyribose phosphate group nitrogenous base. Nitrogenous Bases.
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Molecular BiochemistryBioc.432Lab 1: Introduction to nucleic acids (Structural properties)
Nucleotide Structure • Nucleic acids are polymers of nucleotides • Nucleotides consist of • sugar • RNA - ribose • DNA - deoxyribose • phosphate group • nitrogenous base
Nitrogenous Bases • Purines - double carbon-nitrogen (bicyclic rings) • Pyrimidines - single carbon-nitrogen ring (monocyclic rings) • uracil - RNA only • thymine - DNA only
Sugar-phosphate backbone Sugar-phosphate backbone Complementary Base Pairing • Nitrogenous bases form hydrogen bonds • Base pairs • A-T and C-G • Law of complementary base pairing • one strand determines base sequence of the other Segment of DNA
DNA Function • DNA is located in nucleus but small amount in the mitochndria. • Serves as code for protein synthesis, cell replication and reproduction • Gene - sequence of DNA nucleotides that codes for one polypeptide • Genome - all the genes of one person
RNA Structure and Function • Only one nucleotide chain • RNA forms globular conformations, in which regions of helical structure are formed by intramolecular hydrogen bonds (secondary structure)
RNA • RNA much smaller than DNA • transfer RNA (tRNA) has 70 - 90 bases • messenger RNA (mRNA) has over 10,000 bases • DNA has over a billion base pairs • Ribose replaces deoxyribose as the sugar • Uracil replaces thymine as a nitrogenous base • Essential function: • Interpret DNA code • Direct protein synthesis
Types of RNA • Messenger RNA – mRNA - re-writes DNA (transcription) and takes it out of the nucleus to the ribosome. • Transfer RNA – tRNA -Carries amino acids in the cytoplasm to the ribosomes. • Ribosomal RNA- rRNA- Building blocks of ribosomes. Assembled in the nucleolus. • Small nuclear RNA- snRNA- small RNA molecules found in the nucleus. Important in number of processes including the maintenance of telomeres.