Nucleic Acids
Save
Nucleic acids are a class of macromolecules that play a vital role in the storage and expression of genetic information in cells. They are composed of nucleotide units, each consisting of a nitrogenous base, a ribose or deoxyribose sugar, and a phosphate group. The two main types of nucleic acids are deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA).
Structure and Function of Nucleic Acids
DNA is a double-stranded molecule that carries the genetic instructions for an organism. Its nucleotides are adenine, cytosine, guanine, and thymine. The two strands of DNA are complementary, meaning that they have a specific pairing of bases: adenine always pairs with thymine, and cytosine always pairs with guanine. This pairing creates base pairs, which are the building blocks of DNA.
RNA is a single-stranded molecule that plays various roles in gene expression. Its nucleotides are adenine, cytosine, guanine, and uracil. Unlike DNA, RNA does not contain thymine; instead, uracil is used in its place.
