Genetics and Genetic engineering Learning aim A: Understand the structure and function of nucleic acids in order to describe gene expression and the process of protein synthesis LATEST UPDATE 2024

Unit 11: Genetics and Genetic engineering A: Understand the structure and function of nucleic acids in order to describe gene expression and the process of protein synthesis Nucleic acids: [1] Nucleic acids are universal. They are in all living organisms on earth- prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells as well as in viruses (akaryotes). Both DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) and RNA (ribonucleic acid) are polymers Long chains (polymers) of nucleic acids are formed by the joining of monomers (nucleotides). As a result, nucleotides are the building components of a nucleic acid. Nucleotides are joined together by condensation reactions (a chemical reaction where two molecules are joined, with the removal of water). (figure 1: ribose and deoxyribose sugars) They are tiny molecules made up of three parts: a nitrogenous base, a sugar with five carbons, and a phosphate group. (figure 2- three nucleotides joined together) There are five different types of nucleotides bases: Adenine (A) and guanine (G) have a double ring structure. They are purines. Cytosine (C), Thymine (T) and Uracil (U) have a single ring structure. They are pyrimidines. DNA contains bases A,T,G and C. RNA contains bases U,G and C.