What are the bases of nucleic acids?
A nucleotide is the basic building block of nucleic acids (RNA and DNA). A nucleotide consists of a sugar molecule (either ribose in RNA or deoxyribose in DNA) attached to a phosphate group and a nitrogen-containing base. The bases used in DNA are adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G) and thymine (T).
Are DNA base pairs planar?
Structure of the DNA Double Helix One key point to notice in the DNA double helix structure is that the planar nitrogenous bases from the two strands are pointing toward each other, in the middle of the helix. Pairs of nitrogenous bases are set in the same plane, and interact with each other via hydrogen bonding.
What are the 5 nucleic acid bases?
Each nucleic acid contains four of five possible nitrogen-containing bases: adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), thymine (T), and uracil (U).
What are the 4 nucleic bases?
There are four nucleotides, or bases, in DNA: adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G), and thymine (T). These bases form specific pairs (A with T, and G with C).
How many bases are in nucleic acids?
Five nucleobases
Five nucleobases—adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G), thymine (T), and uracil (U)—are called primary or canonical. They function as the fundamental units of the genetic code, with the bases A, G, C, and T being found in DNA while A, G, C, and U are found in RNA.
What is the basic structure and function of nucleic acids?
Nucleic acids, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA), carry genetic information which is read in cells to make the RNA and proteins by which living things function. The well-known structure of the DNA double helix allows this information to be copied and passed on to the next generation.
Are bases planar?
From a structural point of view, the nucleic acid (NA) bases are usually regarded as planar and conformationally rigid units (1–3).
What are minor bases in nucleic acids?
In the transfer RNAs additional minor purine and pyrimidine bases may be found such as dimethyladenine, hypoxanthine, isopentenyl adenine, kinetin, zeatin, pseudouracil, 4-thiouracil, etc. The minor bases are modified after biosynthesis of the regular nitrogenous bases (see Fig. N49).
Why are nitrogenous bases bases?
The basic property derives from the lone electron pair on the nitrogen atom. The nitrogen bases are also called nucleobases because they play a major role as building blocks of the nucleic acids deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA).
Are purines planar?
Purines are planar, fused N-containing rings. The purine and pyrimidine bases of RNA and DNA are shown below.
Are DNA bases aromatic?
Since the DNA bases do indeed become aromatic in the Watson–Crick milieu, then the stability of the double helix must be due, at least in part, to the resonance ener- gies of the “newly” aromatized entities, guanine, cytosine, thymine and uracil.
Which nucleotides are pyrimidines?
Adenine and guanine are purine nucleotides, while cytosine, uracil, and thymine are pyrimidine nucleotides.
What nucleic acids are found in DNA?
The nucleic acids present in the nuclei of living cells are deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA). They are hereditary inheritance engines. DNA is composed of deoxyribonucleotide building blocks, each containing a base: adenine (A), thymine (T), cytosine (C) or guanine (G).
What are the nucleotide bases in RNA?
RNA consists of four nitrogenous bases: adenine, cytosine, uracil, and guanine. Uracil is a pyrimidine that is structurally similar to the thymine, another pyrimidine that is found in DNA.