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NUCLEIC ACIDS

BIO149

Prof. Ureah Thea A. Sevilla

Nucleic Acids

Some nucleotides are subunits of nucleic acids such

as DNA and RNA

Some nucleotides have roles in metabolism

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Nucleotides

Nucleotide
A

small organic molecule consisting of a sugar with a

five-carbon ring, a nitrogen-containing base, and one
or more phosphate groups

ATP
A

nucleotide with three phosphate groups

Important in phosphate-group (energy) transfer

Component structures of nucleotide:

Pyrimidine and purine bases

Sugar

Phosphate

* When molecule consists of base and sugar only, it is

called a NUCLEOSIDE.

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Nitrogen-containing base of Nucleotides

Nucleoside = Base + Sugar

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Nucleotide = Nucleoside + phosphate

Name = nucleoside + mono-/di-/tri- phosphate

Adenosine triphosphate, ATP

Polynucleotides

PHOSPHODIESTER
BOND

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Polynucleotides

3-5 PHOSPHODIESTER
BOND

5 3 Polynucleotide Chain

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Nucleic Acids

Nucleic acids
Polymers

of nucleotides in which the sugar of one

nucleotide is attached to the phosphate group of the
next
RNA and DNA are nucleic acids

RNA

RNA (ribonucleic acid)

RNAs

are single-stranded polynucleotides that are used

to express genetic information.
Important in protein synthesis

Three types of RNAs:

rRNA ribosomal RNA
mRNA messenger RNA
tRNA transfer RNA

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DNA

DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)

Two

chains of nucleotides twisted together into a

double helix and held by hydrogen bonds
Contains all inherited information necessary to build an
organism, coded in the order of nucleotide bases carries the genetic information.

Differences between RNA and DNA

RNA
A, G, C, U
ribose

single

DNA
type of bases
used
sugar used

polynucleotide
strand

A G, C, T
Deoxyribose

double

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Four Nucleotides of DNA

3 phosphate
groups

sugar
(deoxyribose)

adenine (A)
base with a
double ring
structure

thymine (T)
base with a
single ring
structure

guanine (G)
base with a
double ring
structure

cytosine (C)
base with a
single ring
structure

Fig. 3-21, p. 48

The DNA
Molecule
Double-stranded
polynucleotide
covalent
bonding in
sugar
phosphate
backbone
hydrogen bonding
between bases

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James Watson and Francis Cricks model

of the DNA
The DNA molecule consists of 2 strands of
polynucleotide held together through hydrogen
bonding interaction of the bases contained in the 2
strands. This pairing of bases is called
complimentary base pairs: A=T and CG
The orientation of the 2 strands is anti-parallel to
each other.

BASE-PAIRS OF DNA
CYTOSINE GUANINE
base pair

N
N

CH

C
N

N
C

N
N

C
O

CH

THYMINE ADENINE
base pair

H
H3C

CH

3 hydrogen bonds formed

N
N

C
CH

NH

2 hydrogen bonds formed

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Chargaffs Rules (Erwin Chargaff)

The amounts of thymine and adenine in DNA are

the same, and the amounts of cytosine and guanine
are the same: A = T and G = C
percentage base pair equality:
%A = %T and %G = %C.
Proportion of adenine and guanine differs among
species

Problems

What is the %A, %C, %T of the DNA with 32%G?

A 5000bp DNA was found to contain 950

adenosine. What is its percentage composition of A,
G, T and C?

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The DNA Molecule

The two strands are in antiparallel direction to each

other

Forms of DNA

A-form

B-form
Z-form

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Forms of DNA
Parameters
Direction of
helical
rotation

A Form
Right

B Form
Right

Z Form
Left

Residues
per turn of
helix

11 BP

10 BP

12 BP

Occurence

Favored at
dehydrated
condition

Favored at
high water
concentration

Favored at
high salt
concentration

Nucleotides and Nucleic Acids

Nucleotides have major metabolic roles and are

building blocks of nucleic acids

Two kinds of nucleic acids, DNA and RNA, interact as

the cells system of storing, retrieving, and translating
information about building proteins

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References:
Voet, Voet and Pratt. Principles of Biochemistry,
3rd edition, 2008, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Garret, R. and Grisham, C., Biochemistry 4 th
edition, 2010, Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning.

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