What is the Nucleic Acid?
What is the Nucleic Acid?Nucleic acids are made of biopolymers, which are naturally-occurring, repeated sets of monomers (making polymers) that then create nucleotides, which form nucleic acids.
Nucleic acids are essential for all forms of life, and it is found in all cells. Nucleic acids come in two natural forms called deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA).
What is the structure of nucleic acid?
A nucleotide is made up of three parts that are attached by bonds. The three parts are a phosphate group, a 5-carbon sugar, and a nitrogen base.
Phosphate group
The phosphate group is made up of a phosphorus atom with four negatively charged oxygen atoms attached to it.
5-carbon sugar
The 5-carbon sugar (known as a pentose) includes ribose and deoxyribose, which are present in nucleic acid. Both ribose and deoxyribose have five carbon atoms and one oxygen atom. Attached to the carbon atoms are hydrogen atoms and hydroxyl groups.
In ribose sugar, there are hydroxyl groups attached to the second and third carbon atoms. In deoxyribose sugar, there is a hydroxyl group attached to the third carbon atom, but only a hydrogen atom is attached to the second carbon atom.
Nitrogen base
The nitrogen molecule acts as a base in nucleic acid because it can give electrons to other molecules and create new molecules through this process. It can bind to carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen molecules to create ring structures.
Ring structures come in single rings (pyrimidines) and double rings (purines). Pyrimidines include thymine, cytosine, and uracil. Purines include adenine and guanine. Purines are larger than pyrimidines, and their size differences help to determine their pairings in DNA strands.
What is the function of DNA and RNA?
Each type of nucleic acid carries out a different function in the cells of all living things.
DNA
DNA is responsible for storing and coding genetic information in the body. The structure of DNA allows for genetic information to be inherited by children from their parents.
Inside DNA, instructions for all the proteins an organism will make are stored.
RNA
RNA plays an important role in protein synthesis and regulates the expression of the information stored in DNA to make these proteins. It is also how genetic information is carried in certain viruses.
The various functions of RNA include:
Creating new cells in the body
Translating DNA into proteins
Acting as a messenger between DNA and ribosomes
Helps ribosomes choose the correct amino acids to create new proteins in the body.
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