Nucleic Acids

Nucleic Acids
Structures of Nucleic Acids
DNA Replication
RNA and Transcription

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 Nucleotides
Nucleic acids consist of nucleotides that
have a sugar, nitrogen base, and phosphate

Base

PO4
Sugar

nucleoside
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 Nitrogen-Containing Bases
O
NH2
H CH3
N N
N

N O N
N
H H
adenine (A) thymine (T)
O NH2 O
H N CH3 H CH3
N N N

NH2 N N O N O N
H H H
guanine (G) cytosine (C) uracil (U)3
 Sugars

HOCH2 O OH HOCH2 O OH

OH OH OH (no O)

ribose deoxyribose

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 Nucleosides in DNA

Base Sugar Nucleoside

Adenine (A) Deoxyribose Adenosine
Guanine (G) Deoxyribose Guanosine
Cytosine (C) Deoxyribose Cytidine
Thymine (T) Deoxyribose Thymidine

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 Nucleosides in RNA

Base Sugar Nucleoside

Adenine (A) ribose Adenosine
Guanine (G) ribose Guanosine
Cytosine (C) ribose Cytidine
Uracil (U) ribose Uridine

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Example of a Nucleoside
NH2

O O N
-
O P O CH2
-
O
O

OH

deoxyctyidine monophosphate (dCMP)

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 Nucleotides in DNA and RNA
DNA
dAMP Deoxyadenosine monophosphate
dGMP Deoxyguanosine monophosphate
dCMP Deoxycytidine monophosphate
dTMP Deoxythymidine monophosphate

RNA
AMP adenosine monophosphate
GMP guanosine monophosphate
CMP cytidine monophosphate
UMP uridine monophosphate
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 Structure of Nucleic Acids

• Polymers of four nucleotides

• Linked by alternating sugar-phosphate bonds
• RNA: ribose and A, G, C, U
• DNA: deoxyribose and A,G,C,T

base base base base

sugar P sugar P sugar P sugar

P
nucleotide nucleotide nucleotide nucleotide
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 Nucleic Acid Structure
NH2

N
CMP
O O N
-
O P O CH2
-
O
O
3 NH2

3,5-phosphodiester bond OH
N
N

O 5 N N
O P O CH2
-
O AMP
O

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OH
 Double Helix of DNA

• DNA contains two strands of nucleotides

• H bonds hold the two strands in a double-
helix structure
• A helix structure is like a spiral stair case
• Bases are always paired as A–T and G-C
• Thus the bases along one strand
complement the bases along the other

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Complementary Base Pairs

•Two H bonds for A-T

•Three H bonds for G-C

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Double Helix of DNA

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 Learning Check NA1

Write the complementary base sequence

for the matching strand in the following
DNA section:

-A-G-T-C-C-A-A-T-G-C-
• • • • • • • • • •
• • • • • • • • • •

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 Solution NA1

Write the complementary base sequence

for the matching strand in the following
DNA section:

-A-G-T-C-C-A-A-T-G-C-
• • • • • • • • • •
• • • • • • • • • •
-T-C-A-G-G-T-T-A-C-G-
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 DNA Replication

• DNA in the chromosomes replicates itself

every cell division
• Maintains correct genetic information
• Two strands of DNA unwind
• Each strand acts like a template
• New bases pair with their complementary base
• Two double helixes form that are copies of
original DNA
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 DNA Unwinds

G- -C
G-C
A-T A- -T
C-G C- -G
T-A T- -A

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DNA Copied with Base Pairs

Two copies of original DNA strand

G-C G-C
A-T A-T
C-G C-G
T-A G-A

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