C h a p t e r 11

Organic Molecule: Nucleic Acids

Prepared by:
MR. KEVIN FRANCIS E. MAGAOAY
Faculty, SHS Biology Department
Learning Objectives:
 Define nucleic acids
 Describe the synthesis of nucleic acids
 Characterize and enumerate the components of
nucleotide
 Differentiate DNA and RNA
 Describe central dogma
 Learn the process of transcription and translation
Overview:
 Definition of nucleic acid
 Component of nucleotide
 Classifications of nucleic acids
 Structure of nucleic acids
 Central dogma
 Nucleic Acid
 The most important macromolecule for the
continuity of life
 Nucleic acids carry the genetic blueprint of a
cell and carry instructions for the functioning of
the cell
 Provide information to make proteins
 Nucleic Acid
 The monomer of nucleic acid is nucleotides
and when combined together forms a
polynucleotide which is the major component
of nucleic acid
 Nucleotide
 Components of nucleotide:
o Nitrogenous bases
o Sugar
o Phosphate group
 Nitrogenous Bases
Classified into:
 Purines: are bases such as Adenine and
Guanine
 Pyrimidines: are bases such as Cytosine,
Thymine and Uracil
Nitrogenous Bases
 Sugar
 The general name for the sugar component of
nucleotide is ribose
 The sugar component of RNA is D-ribose and in
DNA is 2-Deoxy-D-ribose
 The combination of sugar and nitrogenous base
is known as nucleoside
Sugar
 Nucleoside
Base Sugar Nucleoside
Adenine Deoxy-D-ribose Deoxyadenosine
Guanine Deoxy-D-ribose Deoxyguanosine
Thymine Deoxy-D-ribose Deoxythymidine
Cytosine Deoxy-D-ribose Deoxycytidine
 Nucleoside
Base Sugar Nucleoside
Adenine D-ribose Adenosine
Guanine D-ribose Guanosine
Uracil D-ribose Uridine
Cytosine D-ribose Cytidine
 Phosphate Group
 Is the third component of
nucleotide
 When phosphate group
bond to -C𝐻2 OH of a
nucleoside, the result is
nucleotide
Two Major Types of Nucleic Acids
 Deoxyribonucleic Acid
 Is the genetic material
found in all living
organisms
 Composed of two strands
 Ribonucleic Acid
 Mostly involved in protein
synthesis
 Composed of one strand
 Structure of Nucleic Acid
 The primary structure is the sequence of
nucleotides itself which has two parts: the
backbone of the molecule and the bases that
are the side chain group
 The backbone of DNA consists of sugar and
phosphate group
 Structure of Nucleic Acid
 The backbone has 2 ends: a 3’
–OH end and a 5’ –OH end
 Nitrogenous bases are the
side chain
 Structure of Nucleic Acid
 The secondary structure of DNA
is the established 3 –
dimensional structure
 DNA is composed of 2 strands
entwined around each other in a
double helix
 Bidirectional: Leading and
Lagging Strands
 Types of RNA
 Messenger RNA (mRNA)
 Carry the genetic information
from DNA in the nucleus
directly to the cytoplasm
 Ribosomal RNA (rRNA)
 Ensures the proper alignment
of mRNA and ribosomes
 Types of RNA
 Transfer RNA (tRNA)
Carries the correct amino
acid to the site of protein
synthesis
Central Dogma
 Central Dogma
 Transcription: DNA-RNA
 Translation: RNA-codon of amino acid
 In complementary base pairing, A, T, G and C
on the template DNA strand specify U, A, C and
G respectively, on the RNA strand being
synthesized
 Sample problems
1. What amino acid sequence is produced from the
RNA sequence: ACGAAAGAA?
2. Using the codon chart, what is the sequence of
amino acids that is produced when CCAAGCTCT
is translated? (hint: CCAAGCTCT is a DNA
sequence)
3. How many codons are present in the sequence:
AUGCCGAAACGU?
 Sample problems
4. What amino acids are produced from the codon
sequence AUGCCGAAACGU?
5. The sequence of a short DNA segment is
ATGGCAATA. What would be the sequence of the
complementary strand after transcription and
translation?
6. What is the corresponding RNA sequence of the DNA
strand: GCTTTTCAAAAA?
 Sample problems
7. What is the codon sequence of the DNA
sequence; GCTTTTCAAAAA?
8. Using the codon chart, what is the sequence of
amino acids that is produced when the DNA
sequence AGCCAATGC is translated?