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| '''Nucleic acid''' is one of the basic classes of substances studied in ]. | '''Nucleic acid''' is one of the basic classes of substances studied in ]. | ||
| Nucleic acid, so called because of its prevalence in cellular ], is the generic name of family of ]s. The ]s are called ]s, and each consists of three components: a nitrogenous ] base (either a ] or a ]), a ] ], and a ] group. Different nucleic acid types differ in the specific sugar found in their chain (e.g. ] or deoxyribonucleic acid contains 2'-deoxyriboses). The sugars and phosphates in nucleic acids are connected to each other in an alternating chain: | Nucleic acid, so called because of its prevalence in cellular ], is the generic name of family of ]s. The ]s are called ]s, and each consists of three components: a nitrogenous ] base (either a ] or a ]), a ] ], and a ] group. Different nucleic acid types differ in the specific sugar found in their chain (e.g. ] or deoxyribonucleic acid contains 2'-deoxyriboses). The sugars and phosphates in nucleic acids are connected to each other in an alternating chain: | ||
| -sugar-phosphate-sugar-phosphate-sugar-phosphate- | -sugar-phosphate-sugar-phosphate-sugar-phosphate- | ||
Revision as of 21:55, 20 September 2002
Nucleic acid is one of the basic classes of substances studied in biochemistry.
Nucleic acid, so called because of its prevalence in cellular nuclei, is the generic name of family of biopolymers. The monomers are called nucleotides, and each consists of three components: a nitrogenous heterocyclic base (either a purine or a pyrimidine), a pentose sugar, and a phosphate group. Different nucleic acid types differ in the specific sugar found in their chain (e.g. DNA or deoxyribonucleic acid contains 2'-deoxyriboses). The sugars and phosphates in nucleic acids are connected to each other in an alternating chain:
-sugar-phosphate-sugar-phosphate-sugar-phosphate-
through shared oxygens (forming a phosphodiester functional group) Using the conventional nomenclature, the carbons to which the phosphate groups are attached are the 3' and the 5' carbons.
The bases are pendant from a glycosidic linkage to the 1' carbon of the pentose ring.
Nucleic acids are primarily biology's means of storing and transmitting genetic information, though RNA is also capable of acting as an enzyme.