2.

6 Structure of DNA and RNA

Essential idea: The structure of DNA allows efficient

storage of genetic information.

There is 2m of DNA in each human cell, however the

most cells in the human body have a diameter of 10 μm.
This DNA is divided in chromosomes and coiled around
proteins called histones so that it can be efficiently
stored in each cell's nucleus. The human genome project
which has decoded the base sequence for the whole 2m
of the human genome requires a data warehouse
(pictured) to store the information electronically. This
should give a good idea of just how efficient DNA is at By Chris Paine
storing information and why it needs to be so.
https://bioknowledgy.weebly.com/
http://www.britannica.com/blogs/2013/11/big-data-meets-tiny-storage/
Understandings, Applications and Skills
Statement Guidance
2.6.U1 The nucleic acids DNA and RNA are polymers of
nucleotides.
2.6.U2 DNA differs from RNA in the number of strands
present, the base composition and the type of
pentose.
2.6.U3 DNA is a double helix made of two antiparallel
strands of nucleotides linked by hydrogen bonding
between complementary base pairs.
2.6.A1 Crick and Watson’s elucidation of the structure of
DNA using model making.
2.6.S1 Drawing simple diagrams of the structure of single In diagrams of DNA structure, the helical
nucleotides of DNA and RNA, using circles, shape does not need to be shown, but the two
pentagons and rectangles to represent strands should be shown antiparallel. Adenine
phosphates, pentoses and bases. should be shown paired with thymine and
guanine with cytosine, but the relative lengths
of the purine and pyrimidine bases do not
need to be recalled, nor the numbers of
hydrogen bonds between the base pairs.
2.6.U1 The nucleic acids DNA and RNA are polymers of nucleotides.

http://youtu.be/qy8dk5iS1f0
Drawing simple diagrams of the structure of single nucleotides of DNA and RNA, using
circles, pentagons and rectangles to represent phosphates, pentoses and bases

• Nucleic acids are the genetic material of the cell and are composed of
recurring monomeric units called nucleotides
Each nucleotide is comprised of three principal components:
• 5-carbon pentose sugar (pentagon)
• Phosphate group (circle)
• Nitrogenous base (rectangle)

Both the phosphate group and nitrogenous base are attached to the central
pentose sugar
• The nitrogenous base is attached to the 1’– carbon atom (right point)
• The phosphate base is attached to the 5’– carbon atom (left point)
Simple Diagram of a Single Nucleotide
Comparison of DNA and RNA Nucleotides
2.6.U1 The nucleic acids DNA and RNA are polymers of nucleotides.

A nucelotide: a single unit of a nucleic acid

Nucleic acids are very large molecules

that are constructed by linking
together nucleotides to form a
polymer.

There are two types of nucleic acid: DNA and RNA.

2.6.U1 The nucleic acids DNA and RNA are polymers of nucleotides.

A nucelotide: a single unit of a nucleic acid

• acidic
• negatively charged

• contains nitrogen
• has one or two rings in it’s
structure

covalent bond

• five carbon atoms = a pentose sugar

• If the sugar is Deoxyribose the polymer is
Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid (DNA)
• If the sugar Ribose the polymer is Ribose
covalent bond
Nucleic Acid (RNA)
2.1.3 Life is based on carbon compounds including carbohydrates, lipids,
proteins and nucleic acids.

Nucleic Acids
• Contain carbon,
hydrogen, oxygen,
nitrogen & phosphorus

• Chains of sub-units called

nucleotides

• Nucleotides consist of
base, sugar and
phosphate groups
covalently bonded

• If the sugar is ribose then

the nucleic acid formed is
RNA if the sugar is
deoxyribose then DNA
2.6.U1 The nucleic acids DNA and RNA are polymers of nucleotides.

What is the relevance of this coffee cup to this topic?

http://lucasmind.tumblr.com
2.6.U1 The nucleic acids DNA and RNA are polymers of nucleotides.

There are four nitrogenous bases in DNA:

Adenine (A) Guanine (G) Thymine (T) Cytosine (C)

RNA Shares the same bases except that Uracil (U) replaces Thymine

n.b. when talking about bases always use the full name on the first instance
Chargaff's rules state that DNA from any cell of all
organisms should have a 1:1 ratio (base Pair Rule) of 
pyrimidine and purine bases and, more specifically, that the
amount of guanine is equal to cytosine and the amount of 
adenine is equal to thymine. This pattern is found in both
strands of the DNA. 
2.6.U1 The nucleic acids DNA and RNA are polymers of nucleotides.

• Nucleotides a linked into a single

strand via a condensation reaction
• bonds are formed between the
phosphate of one nucleotide and
the pentose sugar of the next
• The phosphate group (attached to
the 5'-C of the sugar) joins with the
hydroxyl (OH) group attached to the
3'-C of the sugar
• This results in a phosphodiester
bond between the two nucleotides
and the formation of a water
molecule
• Successive condensation reactions
between nucleotides results in the
formation of a long single strand
2.6.U2 DNA differs from RNA in the number of strands present, the base composition and the type
of pentose.

RNA DNA
Adenine (A) Adenine (A)
Guanine (G) Guanine (G)
Uracil (U) Thymine (T)
Bases Cytosine (C) Cytosine (C)

Ribose Deoxyribose

Sugar

Single stranded, and often, Two anti-parallel,

but not always, linear in complementary strands
shape form a double helix
Number of strands

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:RiboseAndDeoxy.gif
2.6.U3 DNA is a double helix made of two antiparallel strands of nucleotides linked by hydrogen
bonding between complementary base pairs.
2.6.U3 DNA is a double helix made of two antiparallel strands of nucleotides linked by hydrogen
bonding between complementary base pairs.
2.6.U3 DNA is a double helix made of two antiparallel strands of nucleotides linked by hydrogen
bonding between complementary base pairs.
2.6.U3 DNA is a double helix made of two antiparallel strands of nucleotides linked by hydrogen
bonding between complementary base pairs.

In Summary:
• Each polynucleotide chain (strand) consists of a chain of nucleotides bonded
covalently.

• Two polynucleotide chains of DNA are held together by hydrogen bonds between
complementary base pairs:
Adenine pairs with thymine (A=T) via two hydrogen bonds
Guanine pairs with cytosine (G=C) via three hydrogen bonds

• In order for bases to be facing each other and thus able to pair, the two strands
must run in opposite directions (i.e. they are anti-parallel)

• As the polynucleotide chain lengthens, the atoms that make up the molecule will
arrange themselves in an optimal energy configuration. This position of least
resistance results in the double-stranded DNA twisting to form a double helix with
approximately 10 - 15 bases per twist.
2.6.S1 Drawing simple diagrams of the structure of single nucleotides of DNA and RNA, using
circles, pentagons and rectangles to represent phosphates, pentoses and bases.

Use this simple, but very

effective You Tube video to
learn how to draw the
nucleotides making up a
short section of a DNA
molecule.

To make sure you have

learn this skill you need to
practice it repeatedly.

http://youtu.be/kTH13oI8BSI

n.b. ideally label lines should be drawn with and rule and should not have arrow heads.
2.6.A1 Crick and Watson’s elucidation of the structure of DNA using model making.
http://scarc.library.oregonstate.edu/coll/nonspcoll
/catalogue/picture-dnamodel-900w.jpg
Whilst others worked using an experimental basis Watson
and Crick used stick-and-ball models to test their ideas on the
possible structure of DNA. Building models allowed them to
visualize the molecule and to quickly see how well it fitted
the available evidence.
It was not all easy going however. Their first model, a triple
helix, was rejected for several reasons:
• The ratio of Adenine to Thymine was not 1:1 (as
discovered by Chargaff)
• It required too much magnesium (identified by Franklin)
From their setbacks they realized:
• DNA must be a double helix.
• The relationship between the bases and base pairing
• The strands must be anti-parallel to allow base pairing to
happen
Because of the visual nature of their work the second and the
correct model quickly suggested:
• Possible mechanisms for replication
• Information was encoded in triplets of bases
2.6.A1 Crick and Watson’s elucidation of the structure of DNA using model making.

Watson and Crick gained Nobel prizes for their discovery.

It should be remembered that their success was based
on the evidence they gained from the work of others. In
particular the work of Rosalind Franklin and Maurice
Wilkins, who were using X-ray diffraction was critical to
their success.

Find out more about the discovery of DNA:

http://www.nobelprize.org/educational/medicine/dna_double_helix/readmore.html

http://scarc.library.oregonstate.edu/coll/nonspcoll
/catalogue/picture-dnamodel-900w.jpg

http://youtu.be/sf0YXnAFBs8