Name ___________________

Honors Anatomy and Physiology

Nucleic Acids

http://www.vivo.colostate.edu/hbooks/genetics/biotech/basics/nastruct.html

http://www2.chemistry.msu.edu/faculty/reusch/VirtTxtJml/nucacids.htm

http://themedicalbiochemistrypage.org/nucleic-acids.php


1. What is a nucleic acid?

2. What are the elements that are found in nucleic acids (there are 5 of them)?


3. Define the term pyrimidine base and give examples:

Monocyclic bases. Cytosine.

4. Define the term purine base and give an example:

Bicyclic bases. Guanine.

5. What are the components of a nucleotide? Sketch the structure of a nucleotide:
a. Five-carbon sugar
b. Phosphate group
c. Nitrogenous base















6. Describe the difference between a nucleotide and a nucleoside:

A nucleoside consists of a nitrogenous base covalently attached to a sugar (ribose or
deoxyribose) but without the phosphate group. A nucleotide consists of a nitrogenous
base, a sugar (ribose or deoxyribose) and one to three phosphate groups.

7. Describe the phosphodiester bond that is formed during the bonding of nucleotides (look
in the 1
st
website).

Forms between the 3' carbon of one nucleotide and the 5' carbon of another nucleotide,
forming the sugar-phosphate backbone.

8. Describe the structure of DNA. In the description, explain the concept of complimentary
base pairing.




9. Briefly describe the differences between DNA and RNA: