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Nucleic Acids
Nucleotides
Nucleotides are the monomers of nucleic acids
http://www.uic.edu/classes/bios/bios100/lecturesf04am/nucleotides.jpg
Nucleotides
(b) A sugar – deoxyribose or ribose
http://www.mun.ca/biology/scarr/Deoxyribose_vs_Ribose.gif
Nucleotides
(c) One or more phosphate groups
Nucleotides
Some common nucleotides include-
http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/2001-02/982619379.Bc.1.gif
Nucleosides
A nucleoside consists of a nitrogenous base covalently attached to a sugar(ribose or
It contains information (blue print) that is used to construct other cell components
The DNA is made up of nucleotide monomers and the structure consists of two strands that
are entwined
The helix is formed through the pairing of the nitrogenous bases in the nucleotide
http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/handbook/illustrations/dnastructure.jpg
Nucleic Acids - DNA
The double helix is also called the B-form DNA or B-DNA
There also exists different variations in DNA helix structure i.e. A-DNA and Z-DNA
Both forms are converted into the B-DNA at normal physiological conditions
Main Differences in Variations
A-DNA B-DNA Z-DNA
Right handed helix Right handed helix Left handed helix
Helix has a hollow core Helix has a solid core Helix has a solid core – more
tightly packed
Appears when the DNA is Occurs at normal Occurs when there is very
dehydrated physiological conditions high salt concentration
Nucleic Acids – DNA Structure
The backbone of the DNA is comprised of a deoxyribose sugar linked by phosphodiester
bridges
The 3' hydroxyl group of the sugar is linked to the 5' hydroxyl group of another sugar by
a phosphodiester bond
The strands run anti parallel to each other, i.e. one strands run in the 3' → 5' direction
guanine (G)
Adenine is paired with thymine and vice versa by 2 hydrogen bonds (double bond) A = T
The GC pair is more strongly held together than the AT pair due to the triple bonds that
The two helices are complementary to each other. They are not identical
(b) a nitrogenous base – adenine (A), uracil (U), cytosine (C) and guanine (G)
Similar to DNA, the nitrogenous bases in RNA carries the genetic information and
However because base pairing can occur, the molecule can fold on itself in the form of a
hairpin
During base pairing adenine pairs with uracil and guanine with cytosine
A U G C
The hairpin formation does not require the molecule to have equal amounts of
The A/T and G/C ratio is 1 Complementary base pairs ratio not necessary
Base pairing occurs throughout the molecule Base pairing occurs at specific locations
http://img.sparknotes.com/figures/F/f88cd44dc6a50ffa6b94cdb9d213894e/ribosome.gif
Types of RNA - tRNA
It occupies 15% of the total RNA in the cell
synthesis)
http://universe-review.ca/I11-21-tRNA1.jpg
Types of RNA - mRNA
Otherwise called template RNA
If the mRNA carries the code for a simple protein it is called monocistronic
If it carries the code for more than one kind of protein it is polycistronic
Genetic Code
The sequence of bases that encodes a functional protein is called the gene
The relationship between the base sequence and the amino acid sequence in a particular
During replication the hydrogen bonds holding the nitrogenous bases together are broken
Each separated strand serves as a template for the synthesis of a new strand that is
The enzyme DNA polymerase moves along each template of the open helix reading the
The enzyme ligase then joins the complementary nucleotide in the new strand
DNA polymerase is only able to move in the 3' → 5' direction, therefore the enzyme
(Remember the strands run opposite to each other, i.e. one strand runs in the 3' → 5'
When the process is completed there would be two identical molecules of double
stranded DNA
Each molecule will contain one strand that was obtained from the parent strand
This form of DNA replication is described as semi conservative because half of the
The enzyme contains two active sites i.e. one for polymerization and the other for proof
reading
If a strand is being synthesized and a wrong nucleotide is selected by the first active site
then the second active site would recognize the error and remove the incorrect
nucleotide
If the second active site does not recognize the error then this results in a permanent
The information stored in the DNA molecule is carried by the mRNA molecule
A complementary strand of mRNA assembles on one of the DNA strand (sense strand)
A=U G≡C
U =A C ≡ G
Transcription
The strand is synthesized in the 5' → 3' direction
At the end of the process, the mRNA will contain the complementary genetic
The mRNA then leaves the DNA template where it carries the information to the
The process requires numerous enzymes, ribosomes, amino acids, mRNA, tRNA and
is attached
At least one kind of tRNA is present for each of the 20 amino acid
There is a triplet codon called an anticodon located at another folded end of the tRNA
molecule
The anticodon is the complementary code for the amino acid attached
E.g. tRNA with valine (GUA) attached will have an anticodon CAU
When the amino acid is linked to the tRNA molecule, base pairing can occur between the
http://genomebiology.com/content/figures/gb-2003-4-12-237-1.jpg
Translation
Each triplet codon on the mRNA specifies the insertion of a particular amino acid
The tRNA carrying the appropriate amino acid can become attached to the mRNA
Therefore the message on the mRNA is read codon by codon until the synthesis of a
It is then joined by the large subunit of the ribosome and a special initiator tRNA
If the message is read at the wrong nucleotide in the start sequence, then the remaining
The preceding amino acid (met) is then linked to the incoming amino acid by a peptide
bond
The ribosome then moves to the next codon where base pairing between tRNA and
There exists no tRNA molecule with anticodons for stop codons. Hence there exists no
Release factors recognize these codons and releases the polypeptide chain from the
The ribosome then split into its subunit which can be reassembled later for another round
of protein synthesis