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Nucleic Acids 101

DNA, Chromosomes, Genes

Nucleic Acid Structure

Watson-Crick Base Pairing

Nucleic Acids & Heredity

DNA Replication

RNA Structure & Function

RNA Synthesis: Transcription

The Genetic Code

Protein Synthesis: Translation

Test Your Knowledge!


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NUCLEOTIDES

The nucleotides that are the building blocks of nucleic acids are formed by adding a phosphate group to a nucleoside.



Nucleotides containing ribose are known as ribonucleotides, and those containing deoxyribose are known as deoxyribonucleotides.

To summarize the structural differences between DNA and RNA:


DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)

Sugar is deoxyribose

DNA is a polymer of deoxyribonucleotides

Bases are adenine, guanine, cytosine and thymine


RNA (ribonucleic acid)

Sugar is ribose

RNA is a polymer of ribonucleotides.

Bases are adenine, guanine, cytosine and uracil (instead of thymine)


We will look at other differences between RNA and DNA in upcoming sections of the tutorial.


Now try Practice Problem #1 to see how much you've learned so far!


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