B io Factsheet

April 1998

Number 22

Protein synthesis I - Nucleic Acids

Proteins are large, organic molecules which play a fundamental role in
metabolic activities including nutrition, respiration, transport, sensitivity,
co-ordination and reproduction.

Table 1. Nitrogenous bases in nucleic acids

The characteristics of cells and organisms are determined by the particular

proteins which are present. The synthesis of these proteins involves two
types of nucleic acid; DNA and RNA. DNA is contained within the nucleus
of a cell and carries the code to determine which particular proteins are
made. Various forms of RNA then carry this information to the cytoplasm
of the cell and assemble the protein. To understand protein synthesis, you
must first have an understanding of DNA and RNA.

Nucleic acids

Ring structure

Base

Purine (double)

Adenine
Guanine

A
G

DNA/RNA
DNA/RNA

Pyrimidine
(single)

Cytosine
Thymine
Uracil

C
T
U

DNA/RNA
DNA
RNA

Symbol

Nucleic acid

The three components of nucleotides are joined together by condensation

reactions (through the removal of water). Individual nucleotides are then
joined together by similar condensation reactions between the phosphate
group of one nucleotide and the pentose sugar of another (Fig 3). This
linkage of nucleotides forms long chains, called polynucleotides, which
make up nucleic acids.

DNA and RNA are both nucleic acids. Nucleic acids are macromolecules
(large molecules) made up of chains of individual units called nucleotides.
Each nucleotide is made up of 3 parts (Fig 1):

Fig 1. Diagrammatic representation of a nucleotide

Fig 3. Formation of a polynucleotide

Pentose
Sugar

Phosphate

Base

Nucleotides are linked as follows

hydrogen bond

................
A ................

P
S

P
S

P
From Fig 3, it can be seen that polynucleotides have a backbone of
phosphate and sugar, with the nitrogenous bases projecting inwards.

H-N

C-CH3

O-C

C-H

Exam hint - Not all Examination Boards require candidates to be

able to recognise purines and pyrimidines but all expect candidates
to know that purines are larger molecules than pyrimidines and that A
and G are purines etc.

C-H
C

H-C
N

N
H

................
T ................

A pyrimidine
eg. thymine

................
................
................

P
P

Fig 2. The ring structure of pyrimidines and purines

NH 2

................
T ................

................
................
................

3. One of five nitrogenous bases. These bases are divided into two
types, depending on their structure (Fig 2):
(a) Purines - Bases made up of one six-sided ring and one five-sided
ring.
(b) Pyrimidines - Bases made up of a single six-sided ring. The details
of these rings is given in Table 1.

2. A pentose (5 carbon atoms) sugar. This sugar can either be ribose

sugar (C5H10O5) or deoxyribose sugar (C5H10O4)

A purine
eg. adenine

................
T ................

1. A phosphate group (H3PO4), which is the same in all nucleotides.

N
H

Bio Factsheet

Protein synthesis I - Nucleic Acids

Comparing DNA & RNA

DNA and RNA are both vital in protein synthesis. Table 2 summarises the
similarities and differences between these two macromolecules:

Fig 4. Replication of DNA

1. A portion of the DNA double helix about to be replicated

Table 2. Comparison of DNA and RNA

RNA

DNA
Formed in nucleus

Formed in nucleus

Predominantly found in nucleus

Found throughout the cell

Double strand of nucleotides coiled into a double helix. The

two strands are linked by
hydrogen bonding between the
bases (Fig 3): Cytosine with
Guanine, Adenine with Thymine

Single strand of nucleotides

which can be folded into
different shapes

present

2. Replication has started. The enzyme DNA polymerase moves along

the DNA double helix unwinding it and unzipping it by breaking the
hydrogen bonds between the nitrogenous bases.
Movement
of DNA
polymerase

G
Pentose sugar
Deoxyribose

Pentose sugar present - Ribose

C
T
G

Bases present: Cytosine,

Guanine, Adenine, Thymine

Bases present: Cytosine,

Guanine, Adenine, Uracil

Larger molecule

Smaller molecule

One basic form

Three main forms: messenger

RNA, transfer RNA, ribosomal
RNA

Ratio of 1:1 for adenine:thymine,

and cytosine:guanine

Ratio of adenine:thymine, and

cytosine:guanine variable

T
A
G

T
C

3. Free nucleotides in the nucleoplasm of the nucleus are attracted to

the exposed complementary bases and form new hydrogen bonds with
them.

Exam hint - Do not confuse thymine with thiamine.

To summarise, DNA and RNA are both made up of nucleotides. In DNA,

there are two nucleotide strands which are wound around each other at
approximately every ten bases. Thus DNA forms a helix. The strands are
anti-parallel - i.e. they run in opposite directions to each other. The two
strands of nucleotides which make up the DNA double helix are held
together by the hydrogen bonding between nitrogenous bases. This paring
is always as follows:

A
G

C
A

T
A
G

Adenine with Thymine (A-T)

Cytosine with Guanine (C-G)

T
C

4. DNA polymerase continues to move along the DNA, exposing the

bases for free nucleotides to come into and bond. Once these new
nucleotides are in place they bond together (phosphate to deoxyribose
sugar) forming a new strand of DNA.

The different structures of the bases result in two hydrogen bonds being
formed A to T (A=T), and three hydrogen bonds between C to G (CG).
The bonding of the nitrogenous bases ensures that purines always bond
with pyrimidines, and more specifically, A to T and C to G. The precise
nature of this bonding is biologically important for two reasons:
1. The structure of DNA remains exact and regular. This is vital since
DNA carries the heredity material for an individual.
2. DNA can exist as a very long sequence of bases, with an enormous
variety in order, to carry the large amount of genetic information for an
individual.

DNA Replication

T
C

The replication of DNA takes place shortly before cell division, during a
phase of the cell cycle called interphase. DNA replication is said to be
semi-conservative. This means that when two new double helixes of
DNA are produced, one of the strands of each helix is from the original
(parental) DNA strand and the other is new. The sequence of diagrams in
Fig 4 illustrate the replication of DNA.

A
G

5. Replication is now complete, forming two identical strands of DNA

which are exact copies of the original strand. This method is said to be
semi-conservative, since each strand retains half of the original DNA
material.

Bio Factsheet

Protein synthesis I - Nucleic Acids

Answers

Evidence for semi-conservative DNA replication

The evidence for semi-conservative DNA replication came from
experiments by Matthew Meselsohn and Franklin Stahl, two
scientists at the California Institute of Technology, using the bacterium
Escherichia coli. Matthew and Franklin experiments can be explained
in the following series of steps:

Marking points are shown by semicolons

1. (a) Two strands of nucleotide;
held together by hydrogen bonding;
coiled or twisted around each other (approximately every 10
bases).

1. E. coli were cultured in a growth medium containing nitrogen in

the form of the isotope 15N (known as heavy nitrogen).

(b) hydrogen bonding between pairs of organic bases;

(projecting from the sugar-phosphate backbone of nucleic
acids);
pairing occurs between adenine-thymine, guanine-cytosine in
DNA;
pairing between adenine-uracil, guanine-cytosine in RNA.
(Any 3)

2. By leaving the E. coli in the culture for a long enough period of

time, all DNA in the E. coli became made up of heavy nitrogen.
This meant that the molecular weight of the DNA in these E. coli
was measurably greater.
3. The E. coli containing the heavy nitrogen were then placed into
a medium containing normal nitrogen (14N), so that any new DNA
manufactured would be from this normal nitrogen.

(c) Half of the original parent molecule is retained/conserved;

half is composed of new nucleotide molecules.

4. The E. coli was allowed to divide once and the first generation
cells were then collected.

2. (a) DNA polymerase;

helix;
unwind;
hydrogen;
nitrogenous/exposed;
thymine;
cytosine;
nucleoplasm/nucleus;
semi-conservative;
parental/original.

5. When the DNA was extracted from these cells and the relative
weight determined using a centrifugation technique, the molecular
weight of the DNA was found to be intermediate between heavy
and light types. This confirmed that the DNA was made up of one
original (heavy) strand of DNA and one new (light) strand of
DNA - Semi-conservative replication.

Practice Questions
1. Define the following terms:
(a) DNA double helix

(b) 38% adenine, 38% thymine;

remaining 24% is cytosine and guanine (50% each);
12% guanine.

(3 marks)

(b) complementary base pairing

(3 marks)

(c) semi-conservative replication of DNA

(2 marks)

3. (a) nucleic acids.

(b) phosphate;
ribose/5C sugar;
nitrogenous base;
components joined by condensations reactions

2. (a) Read through the following account of DNA replication, then

find the most appropriate word or words to complete the
account.
During DNA replication, the enzyme binds
to the DNA double .This causes the DNA to
and breaks the
bonds between the nucleotides. These nucleotides are bound together at
bases. The base adenine binds with
and binds with
guanine. Free nucleotides found in the bind
with the exposed bases producing two strands of DNA. The process is
said to be because in both of the two DNA
strands produced, one sequence of nucleotides is new and the other is
from the DNA.
(10 marks)

(c) (see Table 2)

(b) When a sample of DNA is extracted from the nucleus of a cell,

chemical analysis showed that 38% of the bases were adenine. What
percentage of the bases are guanine
(3 marks)

Acknowledgements;

3. DNA and RNA are major molecules involved in the transfer of

hereditary material and protein synthesis.
(a) To which group of molecules do DNA and RNA belong?
(1 mark)

This Factsheet was researched and written by Jim Sharpe

Curriculum Press, Unit 305B, The Big Peg,
120 Vyse Street, Birmingham. B18 6NF
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(b) DNA and RNA are both composed of nucleotide sub-units.

Describe the structure of a nucleotide.
(3 marks)
(c) State four similarities and four differences between a DNA
molecule and an RNA molecule
(8 marks)

ISSN 1351-5136