Nucleic Acids
Nucleic acids are large polymers composed of smaller subunits called nucleotides.
The nucleotides are joined by condensation reactions. They are broken down by hydrolysis reactions by nuclease
enzymes
Nucleic acids contain Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen and Phoshorus.
Their polymers are called polynucleotides
Structure
Every nucleotide has the same structure:
o Pentose sugar (5 carbons)
o Phosphate group
o Nitrogenous base
The three parts are also joined together by condensation reactions
When one nucleotide is joined to another nucleotide, a phosphodiester bond forms between the pentose sugar
of one nucleotide, to the phosphate group of the adjacent nucleotide. When many are joined together, a nucleic
acid strand is formed called a polynucleotide chain. This is the nucleic acid.
The nucleic acid is a chain of nucleotides – this chain has a phosphate at one end of the molecule: free
phosphate
This end is called the 5’ end.
At the other end of the nucleic acids is a free pentose sugar. This end is called the 3’ end of the nucleic acid.
Nucleic acids are large polymers composed of smaller subunits called nucleotides.
The nucleotides are joined by condensation reactions. They are broken down by hydrolysis reactions by nuclease
enzymes
Nucleic acids contain Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen and Phoshorus.
Their polymers are called polynucleotides
Structure
Every nucleotide has the same structure:
o Pentose sugar (5 carbons)
o Phosphate group
o Nitrogenous base
The three parts are also joined together by condensation reactions
When one nucleotide is joined to another nucleotide, a phosphodiester bond forms between the pentose sugar
of one nucleotide, to the phosphate group of the adjacent nucleotide. When many are joined together, a nucleic
acid strand is formed called a polynucleotide chain. This is the nucleic acid.
The nucleic acid is a chain of nucleotides – this chain has a phosphate at one end of the molecule: free
phosphate
This end is called the 5’ end.
At the other end of the nucleic acids is a free pentose sugar. This end is called the 3’ end of the nucleic acid.
