Nucleic Acids are the sole reason we human beings are different from a banana, from an elephant, or from a chimpanzee. All living things in this world are unique because of the order of 4 bases arranged in different patterns to form DNA. DNA is the blueprint for every organism. The blueprint needed to build us resides in most of our cells. This information is a sequence of four nucleotides arranged in a specific pattern. For example, cows have 80% of a human's DNA. DNA provides the map of the proteins and genes we express in each individual, and without it, we would be a totally different person. Besides DNA, nucleic acids also perform other functions in our body, but the role it plays in the formation of DNA is the most important.
Let's break down what DNA really is. DNA stands for Deoxy-ribo Nucleic Acid. Deoxy means that there is a missing oxygen atom in the sugar on the second carbon in DNA. It is the only chemical difference between the sugar molecule Deoxy-ribose and the regular sugar ribose. Ribo means that there is a sugar. Now, what does the word Nucleic mean? The word comes from a German word Nuklein, meaning comes from the nucleus. Therefore, DNA is an acid that has sugar, but has no oxygen. DNA is made of nucleotides, but what does that really mean? There are only 4 types of nitrogenous bases in DNA: adenine, thymine, cytosine, and guanine. All 4 of these are nucleic acids. These bond together with a Hydrogen bond. Adenine bonds with thymine, and cytosine bonds with guanine. The “backbone” of the DNA is the phosphate group and the ribo group bonded by covalent bonds. What is the difference between RNA and DNA? Well, as discussed before, there is one oxygen atom missing from the sugar in DNA, but there are more di...
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...s are the only reason why human beings are human beings and not a cabbage. Living things are only each different because of the order of the 4 bases arranged in different patterns to form DNA, our genetic material. The blueprint of DNA that is needed to build us is in most of our cells. These directions are sequences of four nucleotides arranged in a pattern. DNA gives us the map of our proteins and genes we have. Besides just DNA and RNA, nucleic acids also do other things in our body, but the role it plays in the formation of DNA is the most important.
Works Cited
James Baggot Ph.D. And Sharon Dennis M.S., “Nucleic Acids”, NetBiochem Copyright 1994/5, Last Modified 10/8/97, Feb.10, 2014, http://library.med.utah.edu/NetBiochem/nucacids.htm
National Human Genome Research Institute, Last Modified June 8, 2012,Feb. 10, 2014
Deoxyribo Nucleic Acid (DNA) is a chromosome found in the nucleus of a cell, which is a double-stranded helix (similar to a twisted ladder). DNA is made up of four bases called adenine (A), thymine (T), guanine (G), and cytosine (C), that is always based in pairs of A with T and G with C. The four bases of A, C, G, and T were discovered by Phoebus Levene in 1929, which linked it to the string of nucleotide units through phosphate-sugar-base (groups). As mention in Ananya Mandal research paper, Levene thought the chain connection with the bases is repeated in a fix order that make up the DNA molecu...
DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid) is a molecule found in in the nucleus of all cells in the body which carries our genetic information. DNA is found in the form of chromosomes, with a total of 23 pairs in the human body1. DNA holds the genetic coding for all our characteristics, i.e. our eye colour, body shape, and how we interact with others on a daily basis.
The essential component of life can be acknowledged and is made up of a nucleic acid known as DNA. DNA is the abbreviated form for the word deoxyribonucleic acid and it is the “carrier of genetic information” (McMurry, Ballantine, Hoeger, & Peterson, 1992, pg. 775). DNA contains the genetic instructions that are needed for an organism to develop, survive, and replicate, as it plays a crucial role in living systems that makes each species unique and distinctive. The multifaceted material is stored in every cell of every living organisms and it contains information about our nature, appearance, performance, etc. With the instructions that it contains, DNA is passed from the adult organism to their offspring during reproduction. (McMurry, Ballantine, Hoeger, & Peterson, 1992, pg.777).
All living things contain DNA. The molecule deoxyribonucleic acid or DNA is what contains an organism’s genetic information. The genetic information contained in DNA is what an organism requires to not only develop and reproduce but also survive. A DNA molecule is built up of nucleotides. Nucleotides are composed of several different things and what the nucleotides are composed of determines the name of it. Another job of DNA is to pass the genetic information through the process of protein synthesis. The DNA can show birth defects in the fetus using different testing. The knowledge of the birth defects of the fetus can be both positive and negative. DNA is a simple yet complex molecule that is used by all living things and makes us the way
1. DNA is a nucleic acid that carries the genetic information in the cell and is capable of self-replication and synthesis of RNA. DNA consists of two long chains of nucleotides twisted into a double helix and joined by hydrogen bonds between the complementary bases adenine and thymine or cytosine and guanine. The sequence of nucleotides determines individual hereditary characteristics.
It is a polymer and is made of the monomers called nucleotides. The nucleotides or the monomers join together in a covalent bond to form nucleic acids. Specifically, there are different types of nucleotides that from nucleic acids: C (cytosine), A (adenine), G (guanine), T (thymine) and U (uracil). The different types of nucleic acids are ribonucleic acid (RNA) and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). DNA is made up of two strands of cytosine, adenine, guanine and thymine in a double helix pattern while RNA is a single strand of cytosine, adenine, guanine and uracil. These two nucleic acids are found in cells and the cell’s nucleus. In the body, nucleic acids play many important roles like capturing and transferring chemical energy. One of the most important nucleic acids has are storing and transmitting hereditary/genetic information from parent to their children. DNA mainly stores all genetic information of cells but some RNA stores information in viruses. DNA stores information on what cells should do such as its life cycle. RNA does things like extracting information from DNA for many different functions and can also regulate what some genes do. But, RNA mainly transfers the information. The different types of RNA transfer information to different places of the cell. One type, mRNA transfers information from the nucleus to the cytoplasm while tRNA transports information from amino acids
All cells contain a complex structure known as deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). DNA is a chemical that determines how we are. The multiple combinations of its components are what makes a difference in each person. Long molecules of DNA are organized into chromosomes, which are grouped into 23 pairs. Then the chromosomes are broken down into short segments of DNA known as genes.
DNA is the molecule that is responsible for the storing and replicating of genetic material for an organism. The genetic material is the thing that gives an organism its identity. DNA is in the shape of a double helix. It consists of a phosphate group, deoxyribose, and a nitrogenous base. The phosphate groups are synthesised together to create an ester. The connected phosphate groups create a backbone that has a negative charge, is hydrophilic, and are antiparallel. Hydrophilic means that the DNA is able to be easily dissolved in the water because the water is polar and is very attracted to the DNA molecules.
Many people have wondered what it is exactly that makes us...human. What is it that separates us from one another that makes us unique? DNA and Genes is what makes every person up. Everyone is different because of it. Humans are different from each other by their skin color, their facial features, and it’s all due to Deoxyribonucleic Acid. DNA or Deoxyribonucleic Acid is a molecule that contains the genetic instructions that are used in the functioning, the development, and the reproduction that is a necessity to humans and other living organisms.
DNA is the basic substance in the life forms you see around you, yet it is a complicated concept. Your DNA determines the color of your eyes, skin, hair and enable functions such as your sight and hearing. DNA stands for Deoxyribonucleic Acid which contains the biological aspects that make everyone individually different. DNA is all contained in one molecule, and there are millions of tightly packaged DNA cells all throughout many life forms making it the building block of the DNA.
DNA is the abbreviation for deoxyribonucleic acid. DNA is the genetic material found in cells of all living organisms. Human beings contain approximately one trillion cells (Aronson 9). DNA is a long strand in the shape of a double helix made up of small building blocks (Riley). There are four types of building blocks called bases connected with DNA: adenine, guanine, cytosine, and thymine. Each of the bases is represented by the letters A, G, C, and T. The bases are aligned in a specific order, adenine pairs with thymine and guanine pairs with cytosine; this determines a person’s genetic trait (DNA Initiative).
DNA stands for deoxyribonucleic consisting of long chains of subunits that are twisted around each other to form a double helix. DNA can be referred to as teh make up of the organism and this shows how the organism functions and develops. It consists atoms that form the major aspects of life which are carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and phosphorus. The backbone of the molecule is made of sugar and phosphate group.
What is DNA? DNA is deoxriybonucleic acid which is a molecule that is in a double-helix structure described by James Watson and Francis Crick in 1953. DNA contains our genetic code which is composed of triphosphate molecules, which are also known as the ‘building blocks’ of DNA. There are four bases included in the DNA molecule they are called the four nitrogenous bases. The bases are Thymine, adenine, guanine (purines), thymine and cytosine (pyrimidines) (http://forensicsciencecentral.co.uk/dna.shtml). This shows that DNA isn’t so easy to understand, there is certain bases to make up the DNA molecule. This is important because it helps compose the pieces to DNA and helps find traces to the victim. “The more useful sources include blood, semen, vaginal fluid, nasal secretions and hair with roots” (http://forensicsciencecentral.co.uk/dna.shtml). This quote is important because it singles out the most occurrence of DNA. In order for DNA testing to take place scientists will have t...