Nucleic+Acids

Structure- Nucleic Acids are made up of alternating sugar and phosphate molecules. Each of the sugar molecules bond to a nucleotide base. The order of the bases on the structure determines the cell structure. There are two types of sugars in nucleic acids: ribose (RNA) and deoxyribose (DNA).

There are five types of bases: Adenine, Guanine, Thymine, Cytosine, and Uracil. They are classified as //purines,// six-membered ring fused to a five-membered ring (Adenine and Guanine) and //pyrimidines//, which are six-membered rings of carbon and nitrogen atoms (Cytosine,Thymine, and Uracil).



Types- RNA and DNA RNA: Ribonucleic acid- Carries amino acids between ribosomes and DNA to be used during protein production. DNA: Deoxyribonucleic acid- Genetic material the organisms inherit from their parents. Examples-

Importance- Nucleic acids are the building blocks of living organisms. DNA creates directions for its own replication and directs RNA synthesis and protein synthesis. Each DNA molecule directs the synthesis of messenger RNA, which helps to direct the production of polypeptides. Genetic information passes from DNA to RNA to protein.

http://www.visionlearning.com/library/module_viewer.php?mid=63 http://www.dadamo.com/wiki/dna-rna.png Textbook, Chapter 5

Cate McCullum and Kelsie Landis