Nucleic Acid

Nucleic Acids

The macromolecule of life

What is a nucleic acid?

A macromolecule that is made up of monomers called nucleotides. Nucleic acids carry genetic information.

RNA and DNA are examples of nucleic acids

Open Ended

Why are nucleic acids important?

Parts of a nucleotide

• Phosphate Group

• 5-Carbon Sugar (Pentose)

• Nitrogenous base

Parts of a nucleotide

• Phosphate Group

• 5-Carbon Sugar

• Nitrogenous base

Nitrogenous Bases

• Adenine (A)

• Thymine (T) found in DNA

• Cytosine (C)

• Guanine (G)

• Uracil (U) found in RNA

Base Pairing

• Adenine pairs with Thymine in DNA (A-T).

• Adenine pairs with Uracil in RNA (A-U).

• Cytosine pairs with Guanine (C-G)

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Multiple Choice

DNA differs from RNA in which way?

• DNA is a single strand and RNA is double strand.

• DNA has the base Uracil and RNA has the base Thymine.

• DNA has the sugar deoxyribose and RNA has the sugar Ribose.

• DNA is found in plants only.