DNA and RNA

DNA or Deoxyribonucleic Acid, and RNA or Ribonucleic acid are both found in all living things.

DNA and RNA

DNA or Deoxyribonucleic Acid, is a double stranded or double helix molecule. The purpose of DNA is to provide code for every living thing. DNA is made of three different parts. The deoxyribose , a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base.

DNA

Multiple Choice

What three things is DNA made of

• a phosphate group, a sugar group and one of four types of nitrogen bases.

• a phosphate group, a nucleus and a sugar group.

• a phosphate group, weak hydrogen bonds, and one of four types of datum.

• a sugar group, a nucleus, and one of four types of datum.

The phosphate group maintains the structure of DNA and RNA, as well as allowing the bases to produce proteins and be passed on to new cells

​​Phosphate group

This is the building block and backbone of DNA. Rna has ribose sugar instead, but both serve the same purpose.

sugar group (deoxyribose)

​ The nitrogenous bases code genetic information. The different parts include Adenine (A), Thymine (T), Cytosine (C) and Guanine (G), the pairings are A,T or T,A and C,G or G,C.

nitrogenous base

Multiple Choice

Adenine (A) pairs with which other nitrogenous base?

• Cytosine (C)

• Guanine (G)

• Thymine (T)

Although RNA and DNA are very similar, RNA is a single stranded molecule, so it has half the genetic material of DNA.

RNA

Open Ended

What do you think is different from RNA and DNA?

Uracil

If you said either of these things you'd be correct! RNA is single stranded, and instead of thymine it has Uracil. Remember to look out for that when transcribing!

Single stranded

Difference between RNA and DNA

Watch this video

look our for the words: RNA Polymerase, mRNA, Ribosome, Polypeptide, Codon, anticodon Peptide bond, Polypeptide chain, Amino Acid chart.

Open Ended

Was there anything you didn't understand?

The next unit-

The next unit will cover transcribing and translating, as well as how to read an Amino Acid Chart!