1. Nucleic Acids

2. Informational macromolecules
Polymers that store, transmit, and express heredity information
Information is encoded in the sequence of monomers.

3. Two types of Nucleic Acids
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid
Stores and transmits genetic information
RNA
Ribonucleic acid
Takes info from DNA to ribosomes that specifies amino acid sequence in proteins

5. Nucleic acids and the proteins encoded for by them determine the metabolic functions of an organism.
DNA
proteins

6. Nucleotides Monomers that make up nucleic acids Consists of:
Nitrogen-containing base
Pentose sugar
Deoxyribose
ribose
1-3 phosphate groups

7. Nitrogen base
Phosphate Group
Ribose Sugar

9. Nitrogen bases Pyrimidine Purines Cytosine Thymine
Uracil (only in RNA)
Purines
Adenine
Guanine

10. Formation of nucleic acids
New nucleotides are added to the existing chain one at a time.
Pentose sugar of the last nucleotide and the phosphate of a new nucleotide undergo a condensation reaction forming a phosphodiester bond.
Attached to 5’ carbon of sugar and bonds to 3’ of existing sugar.
Nucleic acids are said to grow in the 5’ to 3’ direction.

12. Base paring DNA RNA Adenine Thymine Cytosine Guanine Adenine Uracil

13. Base paring DNA RNA Less flexible
Lack of hydroxyl group at the 2’ position of the deoxyribose.
Composed of two polynucleotide strands
RNA
More flexible
Usually single-stranded
Long RNA can fold itself forming a variety of structures.

14. Base paring Held together primarily by hydrogen bonds.
Hydrogen bonds form between partial negative charge on a hydrogen atom.
Complementary base pairing
Arrangements of polar bond in the nucleotide bases favor the pairing of bases.
Hydrogen bonds are stronger because there are so many in DNA & RNA.
Not as strong as covalent bonds
Breaking and making hydrogen bonds in nucleic acids is a vital role in living systems.