BIOCHEMIST

RY
18- Introduction about
Nucleic Acids & Nucleotides
PRESENTED BY:
DR. MOHAMMED SALEH
MBCHB
Dr. Mohammed
Saleh
MBChB
Baghdad University

Peaks Medical Academy

2
Introduction
Nucleic Acids & Nucleotides
 Glyce
rol

Fatty
Acids

Monosaccharides Amino Nucleoti

Introduction
■ Nucleic acids are biological
elements required for both the
storage and expression of genetic
information in the living
organisms.
■ There are two chemically distinct
types of nucleic acids:
– Deoxyribonucleic acid
(DNA)
– Ribonucleic acid (RNA).
Functions of Nucleic Acids
 Nucleic Acid Functions:
 (DNA): Storage of genetic info
(carrier of genetic information).
 (RNA): an intermediate in the
expression of genetic
information and other diverse
roles.
– (mRNA): Transmission of
genetic info.
– (tRNA and rRNA): Protein
synthesis.
Functions of
Nucleic Acids
■ The monomeric units for
nucleic acids are nucleotides
■ Nucleotides are made up of
three structural subunits:
1) Sugar: ribose in RNA,
and -deoxyribose in
DNA
2) Heterocyclic base
3) Phosphate
RNA & DNA
■ RNA
– single nucleotide
chain
■ DNA
– double nucleotide
chain
– N bases bond in pairs
across chains
– spiraled in a double
helix
Nucleosides and Nucleotides
 Nucleosides:
■ Nucleosides are derivatives of purines
and pyrimidines that have a sugar linked
to a ring nitrogen of a heterocyclic
"base," .
■ The addition of a pentose sugar to a
nitrogen base produces a nucleoside.
■ If the sugar is ribose, a ribonucleoside is
produced; if the sugar is deoxyribose, a
deoxyribonucleoside is produced
Sugar + Base Nucleoside
Nucleosides and Nucleotides
 Nucleotide:
■ Mononucleotides are
nucleosides with a
phosphoryl group
esterified to a hydroxyl
group of the sugar.
Nucleotide Structure
■ Nucleotides are composed of:
1. a nitrogenous base,
2. a pentose monosaccharide,
3. phosphate groups.
■ The nitrogen-containing bases
belong to two families of
compounds: the purines and
the pyrimidines.
■ A nucleotide consists of a
nitrogenous base, a pentose
sugar and a phosphate group.
Nucleosides and Nucleotides
■ Nucleotide = ■ Nucleoside =
– Nitrogenous base – Nitrogenous base
– Pentose – Pentose
– Phosphate ■ Nucleobase =
– Nitrogenous base
Pentose Sugars
■ There are two types related pentose sugars:
– RNA contains ribose
– DNA contains deoxyribose
■ The sugars have
their carbon atoms
numbered with
primes to
distinguish them
from the nitrogen
bases.
Nitrogen Bases
■ The nitrogen bases in
nucleotides consist of
two general types:
– purines: adenine (A)
and guanine (G).
– pyrimidines:
cytosine (C), thymine
(T) and Uracil (U).
■ Thymine is found ONLY in DNA.
■ In RNA, thymine is replaced by uracil.
■ Uracil and Thymine are structurally similar but differ in methyl
group present in thymine.
Nucleotide Function
■ Building blocks for DNA and RNA
■ Nucleotides play an important role as Intracellular source of energy -
Adenosine triphosphate (ATP).
■ Serve as second messengers in signal
transduction pathways –such as
cyclic adenosine monophosphate
[cAMP].
■ Finally, nucleotides are important
regulatory compounds for many of
the pathways of intermediary
metabolism, inhibiting or activating
key enzymes.
Nucleosides and Nucleotides
■ A nucleoside consists of a nitrogen base linked by a glycosidic bond to
C1’ of a ribose or deoxyribose.
■ Nucleosides are named by changing the nitrogen base ending to -osine
for purines and –idine for pyrimidines.
■ A nucleotide is a nucleoside that forms a phosphate ester with the C5’
OH group of ribose or deoxyribose.
■ Nucleotides are named using the name of the nucleoside followed by 5’-
monophosphate.
Phosphate Groups
■ Phosphate groups are
what makes a nucleoside
a nucleotide
■ Phosphate groups are
essential for nucleotide
polymerization.
AMP, ADP and ATP
■ Additional
phosphate groups
can be added to the
nucleoside 5’-
monophosphates to
form diphosphates
and triphosphates.
■ ATP is the major
energy source for
cellular activity.
THANK YOU
Dr. Mohammed Saleh