IB Biology: A1.2-Genetic Materials and Nucleic Acids

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What are genetic materials?

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Molecules that determine the composition of living organisms and ensure the transfer of characteristics from parent organisms or cells to their offspring. They store heritable or hereditary information about living organisms.

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What are the features of genetic materials?

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They carry instructions for the construction and behaviour of cells and the way in which they grow together to form a complete living organism. They can be copied perfectly, allowing hereditary information to be passed from parent organisms to their offspring.

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What is the genetic material found in all living cells?

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DNA

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What are nucleic acids?

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Nucleic acids were first discovered in material extracted from the nuclei of cells, hence their name.

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What are the types of nucleic acids found in living organisms?

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Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and Ribonucleic acid (RNA)

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What are DNA and RNA made of?

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Both DNA and RNA are polymers made up of monomers called nucleotides, forming polynucleotides.