Components of Nucleic Acids
nucleic acids- are the large molecules in our cells that contain all the information
to direct (1) the activities of a cell and (2) its reproduction.
Two types of nucleic acid:
DNA(deoxyribonucleic acid)
- the genetic material in the nucleus of the cell
- contains all the information needed for the development of a complete
living system
-for example:the way you grow, your hair, eyes, physical appearance and
the activities of your body.
RNA(ribonucleic acid)
- carries the genetic information from the DNA in the nucleus
to the ribosomes in the cell cytoplasm
-ribosomesare the cellular factories for the synthesis of proteins
nucleotides- are the building blocks of a nucleic acid
- have three parts
(1) a nitrogen base (a pyrimidine or purine)
(2) a pentose sugar (ribose or 2 deoxyribose)
(3) a phosphate
The five nitrogen basesare:
The two sugarsare:
PhosphateOH
|
O=P-O
|
OH