THE NUCLEIC ACIDS

DNA AND RNA

 NUCLEIC ACIDS
• Nucleic acid is an important class
of macromolecules found in all
cells and viruses. 
• The functions of nucleic
acids have to do with the storage
and expression of genetic
information.
 NUCLEIC ACIDS
• The two main types of nucleic
acids are deoxyribonucleic acid
(DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA).
DNA is the genetic material in all
living organisms, ranging from
single-celled bacteria to
multicellular mammals.
 NUCLEIC ACIDS
• Foods that are rich in Nucleic Acids
are cultivated plants such
as cereals and pulses show a high
RNA-equivalent content but also
vegetables such as spinach,
leek, broccoli, Chinese
cabbage and cauliflower.
 NUCLEIC ACIDS
• Nucleic acids are the
most important macromolecules
for the continuity of life. They
carry the genetic blueprint of a
cell and carry instructions for the
functioning of the cell. 
 NUCLEIC ACIDS
•Nucleic acids are
giant biomolecules
made of monomers
called nucleotides.
WHAT ARE NUCLEOTIDES?
• Nucleotides are organic
molecules that are the
building blocks of DNA
and RNA.
 WHAT ARE NUCLEOTIDES?
• They also have functions related to
cell signaling, metabolism, and
enzyme reactions.
• Nucleotides are made up of three
parts: a phosphate group, a 5-carbon
sugar, and a nitrogenous base.
 NUCLEOTIDE
• IS COMPOSED OF :
• A PHOSPHATE GROUP ( WITH NEGATIVE
CHARGES)
• A SUGAR PORTION
• An NITROGENOUS BASE
 WHAT IS DNA?
• deoxyribonucleic acid,
• a self-replicating material present in
nearly all living organisms as the
main constituent of chromosomes.
• It is the carrier of genetic
information.
 DNA DISCOVERY
• 1869 - DNA was first observed by a German biochemist named
Frederich Miescher.
• 1953 - James Watson, Francis Crick, Maurice Wilkins and
Rosalind Franklin figured out the structure of DNA — a double
helix — which they realized could carry biological information. 
• Watson, Crick and Wilkins were awarded the Nobel Prize in
Medicine in 1962 "for their discoveries concerning the
molecular structure of nucleic acids and its significance for
information transfer in living material.“
•  Franklin was not included in the award, although her work was
integral to the research
DNA STRUCTURE
DNA STRUCTURE
 WHAT IS RNA?
• Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is a
polymeric molecule essential
in various biological roles in
coding, decoding, regulation,
and expression of genes.
RNA STRUCTURE
DNA VS RNA
 DNA VS
NUCLEIC ACID
DNA
RNA
RNA
SUGAR DEOXYRIBOSE RIBOSE
STRAND DOUBLE STRAND SINGLE STRAND
N-BASES ADENINE(A) ADENINE(A)
PURINE BASES GUANINE(G) GUANINE(G)

N-BASES CYTOSINE (C) CYTOSINE(C)

PYRIMIDINES THYMINE (T) URACIL (U)
BASE PAIRINGS A-G A-G
C-T C-U
USE/FUNCTION DETERMINES THE HELPER IN PROTEIN
PROTEIN TO BE MADE SYNTHESIS
 DNA VS RNA
NUCLEIC ACID DNA RNA
KINDS none 3 kinds
m- RNA
t- RNA
r- RNA
LOCATION NUCLEUS NUCLEUS AND
(EUKARYOTIC CYTOPLASM
CELL)
 Kinds of RNA
• 1. Messenger RNA (mRNA)
carries the genetic information
copied from DNA in the form of a
series of three-base code
(CODON) “words,” each of which
specifies a particular amino acid.
 Kinds of RNA
• 2. Transfer RNA (tRNA) is the key to
deciphering the code words in mRNA.
• Each type of amino acid has its own
type of tRNA, which binds it and
carries it to the growing end of a
polypeptide chain if the next code
word on mRNA calls for it.
 Kinds of RNA
• 3. Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) associates with
a set of proteins to form ribosomes.
• These complex structures, which
physically move along an mRNA
molecule, catalyze the assembly of
amino acids into protein chains. They
also bind tRNAs and various accessory
molecules necessary for protein
synthesis.
 IMPORTANCE
• RNA and DNA are nucleic
acids, and, along with lipids,
proteins and carbohydrates,
constitute the four major
macromolecules essential for
all known forms of life.