Concept explainers
Nucleic acids are a class of biological molecules that play a fundamental role in the storage and transmission of genetic information within living organisms. There are two primary types of nucleic acids:
1) Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA): DNA is the molecule responsible for carrying the genetic instructions used in the growth, development, functioning, and reproduction of all known living organisms and many viruses. It is a long, double-stranded molecule composed of nucleotide units. Each nucleotide consists of a sugar molecule (deoxyribose), a phosphate group, and one of four nitrogenous bases: adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G), or thymine (T). The specific sequence of these bases encodes genetic information.
2) Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) : RNA is another important nucleic acid
involved in various cellular processes. Like DNA, RNA is composed of nucleotide units, but it typically exists as a single-stranded molecule. RNA plays crucial roles in protein synthesis (mRNA), transporting amino acids during protein synthesis (tRNA), and regulating gene expression (miRNA and other non-coding RNAs).
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- In chromosomes, doubly-stranded DNA wraps tightly around histone proteins. Think about the structure of DNA, especially the "backbone," and determine what category of amino acids make up the majority of histones: Histone Octamer tetramer dimer HZA dimer dimer dimer Histone "fastener" Here the blue represents histones, and the red is the DNA strand. To help the DNA fold up in an aqueous environment, the histones are nonpolar to exclude water, so many of the amino acid side chains are nonpolar. The backbone of DNA is the alternating phosphate-sugar part, and the phosphate is negatively charged. Positive charges on the histone residues will bind tightly here, so the acidic amino acids are used here. The backbone of DNA is the alternating phosphate-deoxyribose part, and the phosphate is negatively charged. Positive charges on the histone residues will bind tightly here, so the basic amino acids are used here. The histones are strongly attracted to the hydrogen-bonding of the base pairs, so…arrow_forwardThe chromosome of the bacterium (prokaryote) Escherichia coli has a size of approximately 4,000 kilobases (kb) [one kilobase = 1,000 bases]. What length of DNA (B form) would be contained in it? How does this length compare to the average size and/or volume of this bacterium?arrow_forwardWhen cells undergo apoptosis, their DNA becomes fragmented. When the DNA is run out on a gel, the resulting fragments differ in size by a standard amount, about 200 bp, so that the resulting separated DNA has a characteristic "ladder" appearance. Control Staurosporine treatedarrow_forward
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- Write the detail or exact information of the follwoing of molecule “X” with UniProtKB accession number P18564. I. Chromosome number:II. Protein size:III. Number of exons:IV. Stop codon:V. Size of the longest exon in nucleotidesarrow_forwardTotal nucleic acids are extracted from a growing culture of yeast cells. They are then mixed with specialized beads to which the single-stranded DNA molecule with sequence 5’-TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT-3’ has been covalently attached to the surface (see image to the right, where each black line represents a polynucleotide sequence). After a short incubation time, the beads are removed from the mixture. When you analyze the cellular nucleic acids stuck to the beads, which type of nucleic acid (i.e. DNA, rRNA, etc.) do you expect to be the most abundant? Why?arrow_forwardA diploid human cell contains approximately 6.4 billion base pairs of DNA. Assuming that the linker DNA encompasses 35 bp, how many nucleosomes are present in such a cell? Use two significant figures. How many histone proteins are complexed with this DNA? use two significant figures.arrow_forward
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