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STRUCTURE
Nucleotides
Nucleotides ARE the building blocks
(monomers) of nucleic acids
(polymers).
One kind of nucleic acid is DNA
(DeoxyriboNucleicAcid)
Each nucleotide is made up of 3 parts:
1. A ring-shaped sugar called deoxyribose
2. A phosphate group
3. A nitrogenous base (a single
or double ring of carbon
and nitrogen atoms)
There are FOUR types of nucleotides
found in DNA
They only differ by their nitrogenous
ring structures (bases).
1. Thymine (T) single ring=Pyrimadine
2. Cytosine (C) single ring=Pyrimadine
3. Adenine (A) double ring=Purine
4. Guanine (G) double ring=Purine
HINT: AG (agriculture) products are pure
and you have to work double hard on the
farm…..so A and G are purines with double
ring bases.
How do the nucleotides pair?
Scientist found
that….
Cytosine and
Guanine pair with 3
hydrogen bonds
Thymine and
Adenine pair with 2
hydrogen bonds
A=T and C=G
Quick Quiz
If Guanine always pairs with Cytosine &
Adenine always pairs with
Thymine...then they are always found in
set amounts.
If one strand of DNA has 20%
Guanines, how many Cytosines?
And Adenines? And Thymines?
20%G + 20%C = 40% G&C ;
that leaves 60%... 30% A and 30% T
Formation of the DNA Strand
Think about the DNA
molecule like a ladder:
sides and rungs
Sides:
Called the Sugar-
Phosphate backbone
The Sugar from one
nucleotide is connected
to the Phosphate of
another nucleotide
Held together by
covalent bonds
Formation of the DNA Strand
Think about the DNA
molecule like a ladder:
sides and rungs
Rungs:
Bases meet up in the
middle
Held together by
hydrogen bonds
Remember: Hydrogen
bonds are the
WEAKEST bonds!
1953: Watson & Crick
They were able to take
all information from the
work of scientists
before them…
Proposed a 3-D model of
the DNA molecule
capable of:
copying itself accurately
being translated into a
living organism
It was a double helix!
Complementary Bases Pairs
Two strands on the double helix. Run in
opposite directions of each other.
The 2 strands are held together by base pairs
that are complementary to each other.
A pairs with T
G pairs with C
These combinations on both strings of DNA
make a code of instructions which can be
passed down from generation to generation
through chromosomes.
1. ____________ are the monomers that
make up __________ _______ polymers.
2. Name the 3 parts of a nucleotide.
3. Single ring bases are called _________
and Double ring bases are called ______.
4. Nucleotides are joined by what type of
bond?
5. What scientists created the first DNA
model?
6. When A pairs with T, and G pairs with C,
they are said to be “___________” to each
other.