NUCLEIC ACIDS

 

Nucleic acid- compound that contains carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, PHOSPHOROUS and NITROGEN

 

There are 2 types of nucleic acids:

 

DNA- deoxyribonucleic acid

RNA- ribonucleic acid

 

Genetic information is stored in the nucleus, because DNA is genetic information and DNA is found in the nucleus!!

 

DNA is the hereditary material that is passed on from 1 generation to the next during reproduction.  It works with RNA and directs and controls the development and activities of all the cells in an organism.

 

DNA is a long chain of repeating units called nucleotides. 

 

A nucleotide consists of a 5-carbon sugar (either deoxyribose or ribose), bonded to a phosphate group and a nitrogenous base (AKA: A, T, G, C, U)

 

In DNA there are 4 bases: A T C G

 

AßàT   GßàC

 

DNA looks like a twisted ladder, its shape is called a double helix.  It has 2 strands.

 

RNA is only a single strand.  It has 4 bases: A U C G

 

AßàU   GßàC

 

RNA is involved in protein synthesis (making of proteins).  RNA is the instructions of how to make a protein.