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    Chem Written Report

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    Aimah Solaiman
    Nucleic acids are biomolecules found in living organisms that are responsible for storing genetic information and protein synthesis. The two main types are DNA and RNA, with DNA storing genes in chromosomes and RNA involved in protein translation. Nucleic acids are made of nucleotides containing a sugar, phosphate, and nitrogenous base, and the bases provide genetic information when the nucleotides are polymerized into strands.

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    Chem Written Report

    Uploaded by

    Aimah Solaiman
    9 views2 pages
    Nucleic acids are biomolecules found in living organisms that are responsible for storing genetic information and protein synthesis. The two main types are DNA and RNA, with DNA storing genes in chromosomes and RNA involved in protein translation. Nucleic acids are made of nucleotides containing a sugar, phosphate, and nitrogenous base, and the bases provide genetic information when the nucleotides are polymerized into strands.

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    Nucleic acids are biomolecules found in living organisms that are responsible for storing genetic information and protein synthesis. The two main types are DNA and RNA, with DNA storing genes in chromosomes and RNA involved in protein translation. Nucleic acids are made of nucleotides containing a sugar, phosphate, and nitrogenous base, and the bases provide genetic information when the nucleotides are polymerized into strands.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    9 views2 pages

    Chem Written Report

    Uploaded by

    Aimah Solaiman
    Nucleic acids are biomolecules found in living organisms that are responsible for storing genetic information and protein synthesis. The two main types are DNA and RNA, with DNA storing genes in chromosomes and RNA involved in protein translation. Nucleic acids are made of nucleotides containing a sugar, phosphate, and nitrogenous base, and the bases provide genetic information when the nucleotides are polymerized into strands.

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    NUCLEIC ACIDS

    The name “nucleic” derives from the fact that they were discovered within the cell nucleus. They were
    discovered by the Swiss biochemist Friedrich Miescher in 1869.

    Nucleic acids are class of biomolecules that are found in all living organism and are responsible for the
    storage of genetic information. They are also responsible for protein synthesis.

    Nucleic Acids have two types: DNA and RNA

    DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is the most famous nucleic acid. It is part of chromosomes which contain
    the genes. And the genes are ultimately responsible for the synthesis of proteins. Most, if not all, of
    these proteins are enzymes, each catalysing a specific chemical reaction occurring in the organism.

    DNA has two direct purposes: It must generate new DNA through replication so that new generations of
    cells will have the information necessary to their survival; and it must generate RNA.

    RNA (ribonucleic acid) is involved in the direct synthesis of proteins, called translation. These proteins
    are essential for the maintenance of life.

    Nucleic acids are made up of monomers called nucleotides. Nucleotides are made up of 3 components:
    a 5 carbon sugar or pentose, a phosphate functional group, and a nitrogenous base.

    There are 5 different nitrogenous bases present in a nucleotide namely; Adenine, Guanine, Cytosine,
    Thymine, and Uracil; and two different sugars which are the Ribose for RNA and Deoxyribose for DNA.

    Nitrogen bases are reservoir of genetic information. The bases fall into 2 categories: Purine and
    Pyrimidine.

    The Purines are composed of two fused rings incorporating two nitrogen atoms in each ring such as in
    the cases of adenine and guanine.

    The Pyrimidine is composed of a single ring with 2 nitrogen atoms in the ring structure such as in
    cytosine, thymine and uracil.

    Nucleotides are linked together by dehydration synthesis or polymerization reactions between the sugar
    of one nucleotide and the phosphate group of a second nucleotide. Nucleotides are linked together by a
    phosphodiester bond. In the process, a sugar-phosphate backbone is formed.

    DNA is composed of 2 strands arranged as a right-handed helix. The strands are also anti-parallel,
    meaning that they are oriented in opposite directions.

    The 2 strands are held together by hydrogen bonds. Guanine forms hydrogen bonds with Cytosine and
    Adenine bonds with Thymine. This complementary base pairing links the strands together. It also plays
    an important role in the replication of the DNA molecule.
    RNA differs from DNA in that the base Adenine bonds with Uracil instead of Thymine. It is usually single
    stranded and does not typically form a helix. Because of this, it is less stable than DNA and is usually
    more temporary. While DNA stores the information needed to construct a protein, RNA functions in
    regulating the expression of this information in the protein synthesis process.

    Not all nucleic acids are involved in information processing in the cell. ATP or adenosine triphosphate is
    a modified nucleotide that plays a central role in energy processing within cells. ATP is composed of the
    nitrogenous base, adenine, bounded to the sugar ribose just like in RNA. However, 3 phosphate groups
    can be added to the molecule.

    The bonds between the phosphate groups are high energy bonds. These molecules serve as temporary
    energy batteries for the cell. When energy is needed, the terminal phosphate group is removed,
    releasing energy and forming adenosine diphosphate which my then be recharged by the energy
    pathways of the cell.

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