1.5Unit 1: Lifestyle, Transport, Genes and Health
SNAB Nucleic Acids — IAL Edexcel Linear Revision Notes & Topical Questions
5 min read 9 parts Lesson 6 of 29 1 quiz
Curriculum Equation Key قوانين الرقم الهيدروجيني والاتزان الأيوني - pH & Acid-Base Equilibrium FormulasFast Exam Solution
pH = -log[H⁺] | pOH = -log[OH⁻] | pH + pOH = 14 | [H⁺][OH⁻] = 10⁻¹⁴
Word Equation & Conditions: الرقم الهيدروجيني = -لوغاريتم تركيز أيون الهيدروجين | pH + pOH = 14
Location & Specifications: الاتزان الأيوني، كيمياء 3 ثانوي، التحصيلي، و AP Chemistry.
Lesson summary
1.5 Nucleic Acids — IAL EDEXCEL LINEAR notes: Describe the structure of nucleotides, DNA and RNA and the bonds that hold them together.Nucleotide = the monomer of DNA and RNA, made of a pentose sugar, a nitrogenous base and a phosphate group.DNA nucleotide — it contains deoxyribo…
- RNA nucleotide
- 2′ hydroxyl group
- Pairing rule
- Polynucleotide
- Phosphodiester bond
- Sugar-phosphate backbone
Part 1 of 7Nucleotide structure
Nucleotide structure
Nucleotide
Nucleotide the monomer of DNA and RNA, made of a pentose sugar, a nitrogenous base and a phosphate group.
DNA nucleotide
- DNA nucleotide it contains deoxyribose, which has hydrogen at the 2′ position.
- The base is adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G) or thymine (T).
RNA nucleotide
- RNA nucleotide it contains ribose, which has a hydroxyl group at the 2′ position.
- The base is adenine, cytosine, guanine or uracil (U), and RNA never contains thymine.
2′ hydroxyl group
- 2′ hydroxyl group it makes RNA more susceptible to hydrolysis, so DNA is the storage molecule and RNA is a shorter-lived transport molecule.
Part 2 of 7Purines and pyrimidines
| Type | Structure | Bases |
|---|---|---|
| Purine | Double ring | Adenine, guanine |
| Pyrimidine | Single ring | Cytosine, thymine, uracil |
- Pairing rule
- a purine always pairs with a pyrimidine, which keeps the width of the helix constant.
Part 3 of 7The phosphodiester bond
Polynucleotide
Polynucleotide a polymer of many nucleotides joined in a long chain.
Phosphodiester bond
Phosphodiester bond covalent bond formed by condensation between the phosphate group of one nucleotide and the pentose sugar of the next.
- It is made of a phosphate group and two ester bonds.
- It links the 3′ carbon of one sugar to the phosphate attached to the 5′ carbon of the next nucleotide.
Sugar-phosphate backbone
- Sugar-phosphate backbone the chain of alternating phosphate groups and pentose sugars formed by many phosphodiester bonds.
Bases
- Bases they project out from the backbone.
Part 4 of 7DNA structure
DNA structure
Two strands
- DNA is two polynucleotide strands lying side by side in opposite directions, so they are antiparallel.
- One strand runs 5′ to 3′ and the other 3′ to 5′, with a 5′ end and a 3′ end on each strand.
Backbone
- Backbone each strand has alternating deoxyribose and phosphate joined by phosphodiester bonds.
Complementary base pairing
- Complementary base pairing hydrogen bonds join the bases of the two strands.
- Adenine pairs with thymine by two hydrogen bonds.
- Guanine pairs with cytosine by three hydrogen bonds.
- The amounts of A and T are equal, and the amounts of C and G are equal.
Double helix
- Double helix the two strands twist to form a three-dimensional helix.
Bond locations
- Bond locations phosphodiester bonds hold nucleotides in a strand and hydrogen bonds hold the two strands together.
Part 5 of 7RNA structure
RNA structure
Single strand
- RNA is one polynucleotide strand, relatively short compared with DNA.
Sugar and base
- Sugar and base it contains ribose and uracil in place of deoxyribose and thymine.
Backbone
- Backbone alternating ribose and phosphate are joined by phosphodiester bonds between the 5′ and 3′ carbons, with bases projecting sideways.
| Type | Role |
|---|---|
| mRNA | Transcript copy of a gene that codes for a specific polypeptide |
| tRNA | Carries amino acids to the ribosome |
| rRNA | Forms part of ribosomes |
Part 6 of 7DNA compared with RNA
| Feature | DNA | RNA |
|---|---|---|
| Pentose sugar | Deoxyribose | Ribose |
| Bases | A, T, C, G | A, U, C, G |
| Strands | Two, antiparallel, in a double helix | One |
| Length | Long | Relatively short |
| Role | Stores genetic information | Transfers genetic information and builds proteins |
Part 7 of 7More from the specification
- Component
- A discrete electrical device or part of a circuit such as a resistor, lamp, diode, cell, or switch.
Key terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Nucleotide | Monomer of nucleic acids made of a pentose sugar, a base and a phosphate group. |
| Phosphodiester bond | Covalent bond linking nucleotides, formed by condensation between phosphate and sugar. |
| Antiparallel | Running in opposite directions, as the two strands of DNA. |
| Complementary base pairing | Specific pairing of A with T (or U) and C with G. |
| Purine | A base with a double ring structure, adenine or guanine. |
| Pyrimidine | A base with a single ring structure, cytosine, thymine or uracil. |
| Polynucleotide | A polymer of many nucleotides. |
| Antiparallel strands | The two polynucleotide chains in DNA run in opposite directions,(5' to 3' and 3' to 5') |
| Complementary base pairing | Purines pair specifically with pyrimidines: adenine forms two hydrogen bonds with thymine, and cytosine forms three hydrogen bonds with guanine.(or uracil in RNA) |
| Phosphodiester link | Strong covalent bond linking the phosphate group at the 5' carbon of one pentose sugar to the 3' carbon of the neighbouring pentose sugar in the polynucleotide backbone. |
| Semi-conservative replication | The process in which the double helix unwinds and each original template strand directs the synthesis of a complementary new strand, ensuring genetic continuity. |
| Component | A part of a circuit. |
Avoid these mistakes
1
Saying RNA contains thymine — RNA has uracil instead.
2
Saying hydrogen bonds join nucleotides in a strand — phosphodiester bonds join them and hydrogen bonds join the two strands.
3
Pairing adenine with cytosine — adenine pairs with thymine (uracil in RNA) and guanine pairs with cytosine.
4
Saying purines pair with purines — a purine always pairs with a pyrimidine.
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