INTRODUCTION

Nucleic acid, naturally occurring chemical compound that is capable of being broken down to yield
phosphoric acid, sugars, and a mixture of organic bases (purines and pyrimidines). Nucleic acids are
the main information-carrying molecules of the cell, and, by directing the process of protein synthesis,
they determine the inherited characteristics of every living thing.

CLASSES OF NUCLEIC ACIDS

The two main classes of nucleic acids are deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA).
DNA constitutes the genetic material in all free-living organisms and most viruses.

DNA ( DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACID).

DNA stands for Deoxyribonucleic Acid which is a molecule that contains the instructions an organism
needs to develop, live and reproduce.

These instructions are found inside every cell and are passed down from parents to their children.

It is a nucleic acid and is one of the four major types of macromolecules that are known to be essential
for all forms of life.

DNA is found in the nucleus, with a small amount of DNA also present in mitochondria in the
eukaryotes

STRUCTURE OF DNA

DNA is a double-stranded helix. That is each DNA molecule is comprised of two biopolymer strands
coiling around each other to form a double helix structure. These two DNA strands are called
polynucleotides, as they are made of simpler monomer units called nucleotides.

Each strand has a 5′end (with a phosphate group) and a 3′end (with a hydroxyl group).

The strands are antiparallel, meaning that one strand runs in a 5 ′to 3 ′direction, while the other strand
runs in a 3′ to 5′ direction.

The two strands are held together by hydrogen bonds and are complimentary to each other.

Basically, the DNA is composed of deoxyribonucleotides.

The deoxyribonucleotides are linked together by 3′ – 5′phosphodiester bonds.

The nitrogenous bases that compose the deoxyribonucleotides include adenine, cytosine, thymine,
and guanine.

The complimentary of the strands are due to the nature of the nitrogenous bases. The base adenine
always interacts with a thymine (A-T) on the opposite strand via two hydrogen bonds and cytosine
always interacts with guanine (C-G) via three hydrogen bonds on the opposite strand.
The shape of the helix is stabilized by hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions between bases.

The diameter of double helix is 2nm and the double helical structure repeats at an interval of 3.4nm
which corresponds to ten base pairs.

PROPERTIES OF DNA

DNA helices can be right handed or left handed. But the B – conformation of DNA having the right
handed helices is the most stable.

On heating the two strands of DNA separate from each other and on cooling these again hybridize.

The temperature at which the two strands separate completely is known as melting temperature
(Tm). Melting temperature is specific for each specific sequence.

The B sample of DNA having higher melting point must have more C-G content because C-G pair has 3
hydrogen bonds.

The sequence of bases along the DNA molecule encodes for the sequence of amino acids in every
protein in all organisms.

Functions of DNA

DNA has a crucial role as genetic material in most living organisms. It carries genetic information from
cell to cell and from generation to generation.

Thus its major functions include:

 Storing genetic information

RNA or ribonucleic acid is a polymer of nucleotides which is made up of a ribose sugar, a phosphate,
and bases such as adenine, guanine, cytosine, and uracil.

It is a polymeric molecule essential in various biological roles in coding, decoding, regulation, and
expression of genes.

TYPES OF RNA

 rRNA (ribosomal)
 tRNA (transfer)
 mRNA (messenger)
PRIMARY STRUCTURE OF RNA

RNA is a single-stranded helix.

The strand has a 5′end (with a phosphate group) and a 3′end (with a hydroxyl group).

It is composed of ribonucleotides.

The ribonucleotides are linked together by 3′ –> 5′ phosphodiester bonds.

The nitrogenous bases that compose the ribonucleotides include adenine, cytosine, uracil, and
guanine.

RNA SECONDARY STRUCTURE

Most RNA molecules are single-stranded but an RNA molecule may contain regions which can form
complementary base pairing where the RNA strand loops back on itself.

If so, the RNA will have some double-stranded regions.

Ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs) and transfer RNAs (tRNAs) exhibit substantial secondary structure, as do
some messenger RNAs (mRNAs).

PROPERTIES OF RNA

 RNA forms in the nucleolus, and then moves to specialized regions of the cytoplasm
depending on the type of RNA formed.
 RNA, containing a ribose sugar, is more reactive than DNA and is not stable in alkaline
conditions. RNA’s larger helical grooves mean it is more easily subject to attack by enzymes.
 RNA strands are continually made, broken down and reused.
 RNA is more resistant to damage from UV light than DNA.
 RNA’s mutation rate is relatively higher.
 Unusual bases may be present.
 The number of RNA may differ from cell to cell.
 Rate of renaturation after melting is quick.
 RNA is more versatile than DNA, capable of performing numerous, diverse tasks in an
organism.

FUNCTIONS OF RNA

RNA is a nucleic acid messenger between DNA and ribosomes.

Some RNA molecules play an active role within cells by catalyzing biological reactions, controlling
gene expression, or sensing and communicating responses to cellular signals.

Messenger RNA (mRNA) copies DNA in the nucleus and carries the info to the ribosomes (in
cytoplasm).

Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) makes up a large part of the ribosome; reads and decodes mRNA.

Transfer RNA (tRNA) carries amino acids to the ribosome where they are joined to form proteins.

Certain RNAs are able to catalyse chemical reactions such as cutting and ligating other RNA molecules,
and the catalysis of peptide bond formation in the ribosome; these are known as ribozymes.

CONCLUSION

The difference in the structure of RNA from that of DNA include:

The bases in RNA are adenine (abbreviated A), guanine (G), uracil (U) andcytosine (C).

Thus thymine in DNA is replaced by uracil in RNA, a different pyrimidine. However, like thymine, uracil
can form base pairs with adenine.

The sugar in RNA is ribose rather than deoxyribose as in DNA.

The corresponding ribonucleosides are adenosine, guanosine, cytidine and uridine. The corresponding
ribonucleotides are adenosine 5’-triphosphate (ATP), guanosine 5’-triphosphate (GTP), cytidine 5’-
triphosphate (CTP) and uridine 5’-triphosphate (UTP).

REFERENCES

David Hames and Nigel Hooper (2005). Biochemistry. Third ed. Taylor & Francis Group: New York.

Bailey, W. R., Scott, E. G., Finegold, S. M., & Baron, E. J. (1986). Bailey and Scott’s Diagnostic
microbiology. St. Louis: Mosby.

https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Structural_Biochemistry/Nucleic_Acid/DNA/
DNA_structure#Major_and_Minor_Grooves.