Download Notes: More on Nucleic Acids

More on Nucleic Acids…The RNA’s
Review:
 Macromolecule: Nucleic Acids
 Monomer: Nucleotides
- Sugar
- Phosphate
- Base
Ex: DNA & RNA
 DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid)
- Sugar = deoxyribose
- Bases:
A-T
C-G
 Structure: Double Helix
 Function:
1. Store genetic/hereditary information
2. Code to build proteins
 Two forms:
1. Chromatin: relaxed DNA
2. Chromosome: condensed DNA
- Gene: The code to make one protein.
DNA
The New stuff…
Chromosome
Gene
RNA
 Ribonucleic Acid
 Nucleotide (monomer) parts:
1. Sugar = Ribose
2. Phosphate
3. Base
o C–G
o A – U (uracil)
[There is no T (thymine)]
 3 types of RNA:
1. rRNA: [“r” = ribosomal]
- structure: ball-like structure with specific “grooves” on
the surface, for…
- function: synthesize amino acids in to a protein
2. mRNA: [“m” = messenger]
- structure: single straight chain of nucleotides
- function: copy the instructions on how to make a protein
from DNA and carry those instructions to the ribosome/
“workbench”
3. tRNA: [“t” = transfer]
- structure: upside down hair-pin loop or upside down “t”.
- function: locate and transfer the correct amino acid to
the mRNA on the rRNA (ribosome) and place them in the
correct order and location.
Differences between DNA and RNA:
1. sugar
3. structure
2. base
4. function