2.1 Structure of RNA and DNA

• What type of information does DNA carry?

  Genetic information
• What is the role of RNA in relation to DNA?

  Transfers genetic information to ribosomes
• What are ribosomes made of?

  Ribosomal RNA and proteins
• What are the components of a nucleotide?

  Pentose sugar, nitrogen base, phosphate group
• What sugar is found in DNA nucleotides?


  Deoxyribose sugar
• What sugar is found in RNA nucleotides?


  Ribose sugar
• Which nitrogen bases are found in DNA?


  Adenine, cytosine, guanine, thymine
• Which nitrogen bases are found in RNA?


  Adenine, cytosine, guanine, uracil
• How do nucleotides join together?

  By phosphodiester bonds in condensation reactions
• What is formed when two nucleotides join?

  A dinucleotide
• What is the structure of a DNA molecule?

  A double helix of two polynucleotides
• How does RNA differ from DNA in terms of structure?

  RNA is a relatively short polynucleotide chain
• Which bases pair together in DNA?

  Adenine pairs with thymine, guanine pairs with cytosine
• Why is DNA considered a stable molecule?

  Phosphodiester backbone protects reactive bases
• What contributes to the stability of DNA regarding base pairing?

  Three hydrogen bonds between guanine and cytosine
• How do the hydrogen bonds affect DNA stability?

  More C-G pairings increase overall stability