Nucleic Acids
Nucleic acids are …
► Informational
macromolecules used by all
organisms to store hereditary information
► Macromolecules made up of repeating units called
nucleotides.
► Only molecules that can produce identical copies
of themselves
► Nitrogen containing compounds
► Originally found in the nucleus
► 2 types: DNA and RNA
Nucleotide:
subunit of nucleic acids
► Molecules
that contain a 5-carbon sugar unit,
phosphate group and nitrogen base
► The nitrogen bases are purines (adenine A and
guanine G) or pyrimidines (cytosine C, thymine T
and uracil U)
► DNA has nucleotides containing the bases A, G, C,
and T
► RNA has nucleotides containing bases A, G, C, and
U
► Sequence of Nitrogen Bases determines the
genetic code
► See page 53
Nucleotides
Nitrogen bases
DNA
RNA
3 Differences of DNA and RNA
DNA
RNA
Double stranded (double
helix)
Single stranded
Contains base thymine
Contains base uracil
(instead of thymine)
5-carbon sugar is
deoxyribose
5-carbon sugar is ribose
Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP)
► Nucleotide
derivative that acts as the
primary energy-transferring molecule in
living organisms
► Contains the nitrogen base adenine
attached to the 5-carbon sugar ribose,
which is bound to 3 phosphate groups
► **
we will talk more about ATP in the next
few slide shows
ATP
► Readings:
52-54
► Questions on handout