Nucleic Acids

Nucleic Acids: An Overview

• Nucleic acids are biopolymers, essential for all forms of life.
• They are composed of nucleotides, which are the building blocks of DNA and RNA.
• The two primary types of nucleic acids are deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA).

Structure of Nucleic Acids

• Each nucleotide consists of a sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base.
• In DNA, the sugar is deoxyribose and the nitrogenous bases are adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), and thymine (T).
• In RNA, the sugar is ribose and the bases are adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), and uracil (U).
• Nucleotides are linked together in a chain through phosphodiester bonds between the sugar of one nucleotide and the phosphate of the next.

Role of DNA

• DNA serves as the genetic blueprint for organisms.
• It exists in the nucleus of cells in a double helix configuration, which is stabilised by hydrogen bonds between complementary base pairs.
• The sequence of bases in a DNA molecule provides the instructions for assembling protein and RNA molecules.

Role of RNA

• RNA is typically single-stranded and, unlike DNA, can leave the nucleus.
• There are several types of RNA including messenger RNA (mRNA), transfer RNA (tRNA), and ribosomal RNA (rRNA).
• mRNA carries genetic information from the DNA to the ribosomes, the site where proteins are synthesised.
• tRNA carries the amino acids used in protein synthesis to the ribosomes.
• rRNA is a component of the ribosomes.

Importance of Nucleic Acids

• Nucleic acids are indispensable for life, involved in the storage and transmission of genetic information, and the synthesis of proteins.
• Mutations, or changes in the nucleotide sequence, can lead to genetic disorders or changes in an organism’s characteristics.
• Nucleic acids are also the target for many drugs and form the basis for several biotechnologies.