Nucleic Acids

Nucleic acids are organic compounds with heterocyclic rings. Nucleic acids are made of
polymer of nucleotides. Nucleotides consists of nitrogenous base, a pentose sugar and a
phosphate group. A nucleoside is made of nitrogenous base attached to a pentose sugar. The
nitrogenous bases are adenine, guanine, thyamine, cytosine and uracil. Polymerized
nucleotides form DNA and RNA which are genetic material.

Types of Nucleic Acid

Nucleic acids are of two types DNA and RNA
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)

DNA is one of the macromolecules, they are essential to all living forms.
Deoxyribonucleic acid contains the genetic information, it is used in the development
and functioning of all living organisms.
The DNA segments carry genetic information are called the genes.
Other DNA segments have structural functions or regulate the genetic information.
DNA are made of two chains made of polymer units of nucleotides.
The backbones of DNA are made of sugar and phosphate groups which are joined by
ester bonds.
The two strands of DNA are anti-parallel, they run in opposite directions.
Each sugar molecule is attached to one of the four nucleobases.
The nucleobases encode genetic information, that is read using the genetic code.
Inside the cell, the DNA are arranged in long structures called chromosomes.
The chromosomes are duplicated in the process of DNA replication, during cell
division.
Each cell has its own one complete set of chromosomes.

In eukaryotic organisms, most DNA is stored in the nucleus of the cell, and also some
of it in cellular organelles like mitochondria or chloroplast.
The prokaryotes store the DNA in the cytoplasm.
Chromatin proteins like histones compact and organize the DNA

RNA (ribonucleic acid)

The functions of ribonucleic acid is to convert genetic information from genes into
amino acid sequences of protein.
In some viruses, RNA contains the genetic information.
RNA is of three types, they are tRNA (transfer RNA), mRNA (messenger RNA) and
rRNA (ribosomal RNA).
Messenger RNA, as the name suggests acts a messenger. It carries genetic information
sequences between DNA and ribosomes, and it also directs protein synthesis.
rRNA is a major component of the ribosomes, they catalyse the formation of peptide
bond.
The tRNA act as a carrier molecule for the amino acids that are used in protein
synthesis. The tRNA are also responsible for decoding the mRNA.

Structure of nucleic acids DNA and RNA are similar. The structure is divided into four
different levels, primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary.

Functions of nucleic acids are:

The main functions is store and transfer genetic information.

To use the genetic information to direct the synthesis of new protein.
The deoxyribonucleic acid is the storage for place for genetic information in the cell.
DNA controls the synthesis of RNA in the cell.
The genetic information is transmitted from DNA to the protein synthesizers in the
cell.
RNA also directs the production of new protein by transmitting genetic information to
the protein building structures.
The function of the nitrogenous base sequences in the DNA backbone determines the
proteins being synthesized.
The function of the double helix of the DNA is that no disorders occur in the genetic
information if it is lost or damaged.
RNA directs synthesis of proteins.
m-RNA takes genetic message from RNA.
t-RNA transfers activated amino acid, to the site of protein synthesis.
r-RNA are mostly present in the ribosomes, and responsible for stability of m-RNA.

Nuclei Acid Metabolism