BIOCHEMISTRY

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN NURSING

YEAR 1

LESSON 8: NUCLEIC ACID

● PENTOSE SUGAR
OUTLINE o Ribose is present in RNA
I. Types of Nucleic Acid o Deoxyribose is present in RNA (it is called
II. Nucleotides deoxy because second carbon, it lacks
III. The DNA oxygen)
IV. DNA Replication o Nitrogen-containing Heterocyclic base
V. Protein Synthesis
VI. Mutations
VII. Nucleic Acids and Viruses
VIII. Recombinant DNA and Genetic Engineering

I. NUCLEIC ACIDS
● Naturally occurring chemical compounds
● Serve as the primary information (genetic information or
genes) - carrying molecules in cells ● NITROGEN-CONTAINING HETEROCYCLIC BASE
● Unbranched polymer in which the monomer units are
nucleotides
● DNA - found in nucleus
● RNA - found in cytoplasm

RNA DNA

Occurs in all Found within

parts of the cell; the cell nucleus;
Primary function stores and
is the synthesis transfers
of proteins genetic
information;
passed from
existing cells to new cells
during cell division

● PHOSPHATE GROUP
o Form phosphodiester bonds with the
pentose sugars serve as backbone (holds
II. NUCLEOTIDES: nucleotide together) of DNA or RNA
BUILDING BLOCKS OF NUCLEIC ACID
● Components of a nucleotide (a series of nucleotide
forms our DNA)
o Pentose sugar
o Phosphate group
o Heterocyclic base/nitrogenous base

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Prepared by: ino
 NUCLEOSIDE FORMATION IV. DNA REPLICATION
● The base is attached to C1’ position of the sugar (B- ● Biochemical process by which DNA molecules produce
configuration) exact duplicates of themselves
● It is a condensation reaction → H20 is released ● WHERE: nucleus
● WHEN: interphase
● KEY PLAYERS: ENZYMES

NUCLEOTIDE FORMATION
● Phosphate is attached to C5’ position
● It is a condensation reaction → H2O is released
● Function:
o DNA POLYMERASE → BUILDER
o HELICASE → UNZIPPER
o PRIMASE → INITIALIZER
o LIGASE → GLUER
● DNA replication starts in the DNA called origin
o 1st enzyme that comes in is Helicase or
unizipping enzyme;
III. THE DNA DOUBLE HELIX ▪ it will open the DNA to start DNA
● DNA SEQUENCE replication; I dictate sa DNA kung
o two polynucleotide strands are coiled around aha taman mag replicate
each other in a spiral o 2nd SSB Proteins or Single-Stranded
o connected by hydrogen bonds Binding Proteins
o they run in opposite directions ▪ they bind to the DNA strands to
▪ 5’-to-3’ direction (anti-parallel) keep them separated para dili
▪ 3’-to-5’ direction sila mag bind together
o 3rd Topoisomerase
▪ keeps the DNA from supercoiling
or masobraan ug open ang DNA;
it prevents the DNA from opening
o 4th Primase will then enter;
▪ it will come in and make primers;
and it tells the DNA polymerase
(the builder); ang primase,
musulod siya para magsulti kung
asa mag sugod ug replicate;
signal or initializer
o 5th DNA Polymerase - attaches the
● BASE PAIRING: Chargaff’s Law (1:1 ration) corresponding nucleotide
o a purine is always paired with a pyrimidine ▪ It will only build the new strand in
o G (guanine) → C (Cytosine)
the 5 to 3 direction. This means it
o A (Adenine) → T (Thymine)
moves along the old, template
o G and A are purines
o C and T are pyrimidines strand
o 6th Leading strand
o 7th Lagging strand - DNA polymerase kay
mag build paatras; builds in fragments
(Okazaki fragments)
o 8th Ligase
▪ gluer; it takes care of the gaps
between okazzaki fragments to
seal the DNA strands together
o From having one DNA, you have 2 DNA
o DNA = GUANINE AND CYTISIN, ADENINE
AND THYMINE
o RNA = URACIL INSTEAD OF THYMINE
o MNEMONIC: PUR GA

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 ● Stages in the Transcription Process
1. Initiation - sequence called promoter, where
transcription begins
2. Elongation - process of building mRNA; the
RNA will build mRNA; if rna for example:
AUC-TAG (uracil)
3. Termination

DNA RNA ● Post-Transcription Processing: Formation of mRNA

- has two (2) strand o SPLICING - excision of introns and joining of
- has one (1) strand
- sugar → deoxyribose exons using spliceosome
- sugar → ribose
- nitrogenous base →  Exon: gene segment that codes for
- nitrogenous base →
thymine genetic information → expressed
uracil
- found in nucleus  Intron: DNAs segment that does
- found in cytoplasm
not code for genetic information

PROTEIN SYNTHESIS: TRANSLATION

● The process in which mRNA codons are deciphered
RIBONUCLEIC ACID and a specific protein molecule is synthesized
● Types of RNA Molecules → protein synthesis
(similarities)
1. Messenger rNA (mRNA)
▪ carries instructions for protein
synthesis
2. Ribosomal RNA (rRNA)
▪ combines with specific proteins to
form ribosomes → protein
synthesis

3. Transfer RNA (tRNA)

▪ delivers amino acids to sites for
protein synthesis

V. PROTEIN SYNTHESIS
● DNA molecules control the synthesis of proteins
● Phases of protein synthesis
o Transcription
o Translation

PROTEIN SYNTHESIS: TRANSCRIPTION

● DNA → RNA
● Amino acid is joined by Peptide Bonds
● Occurs in nucleus
● 3 stop codons:
● The process by which DNA directs o UGA, UAG, UAA

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 VII. NUCLEIC ACIDS AND VIRUSES
● VIRUS

VI. MUTATIONS
● An error in base sequence in a gene that is reproduced
during DNA replication
● Altered genetic information is passed on during
transcription ● VACCINE
● Altered information can cause changes in amino acid o A preparation containing an inactive or
sequence during protein synthesis weakened form of virus
o Antibodies produced against inactive viral or
● Changes can cause a profound effect on the organism bacterial envelopes also kill naturally
● Two types: occurring viruses or bacteria
o Point mutation - change in single nucleotide

VIII. RECOMBINANT DNA AND GENETIC

ENGINEERING
● Genetic Engineering
o The process by which an organism is
intentionally changed at the molecular (DNA)
level so that it exhibits different traits
● Recombinant DNA
o DNA possessing genetic material from two
different organisms
o First genetically engineered organisms were
bacteria (1973) and mice (1974)
o Insulin-producing bacteria were
o Chromosomal mutation commercialized in 1982
o Many plants have now been genetically
engineered
 Resistance to the harmful effects of
pesticides
 Protection from insects
 Increased crop production

MUTATIONS: MUTAGENS
● A mutagen is a substance or agent that causes a
change in the structure of a gene
● Types
 Radiation (ultraviolet light, x-rays, and
radioactivity)
 Chemical agents (nitrous acid or HNO2
● Repair enzymes present in the body are able to identify
and replace altered bases