Nucleic Acid

Nucleic acids are biomolecules that play an important role in the life of living organisms. They are the basis of genetic material and are involved in the transmission of hereditary information. In this article we will look at the structure and functions of nucleic acids.

Nucleic acids are made up of two main types of molecules - DNA and RNA. DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is the carrier of hereditary information and is responsible for the transmission of genes from parents to offspring. RNA (ribonucleic acid), on the other hand, is involved in protein synthesis and transmission of genetic information.

DNA consists of two strands called complementary. Each strand is made up of nucleotides, which are the building blocks of DNA. Nucleotides are made up of three components: a sugar, a phosphate, and a nitrogenous base. Nitrogen bases are represented by thymine (T), guanine (G), cytosine © and adenine (A). These bases have unique chemical properties that allow them to interact with each other and form complementary pairs.

RNA also consists of two chains, but differs from DNA in that uracil (U) is used instead of thymine. In addition, RNA can contain not four, but three types of nucleotides: cytosine, guanine and adenine. This allows RNA to perform various functions, including protein synthesis and transmission of genetic information.

The functions of nucleic acids include storage and transmission of hereditary information, regulation of gene expression, and participation in DNA replication. DNA replication occurs during the process of mitosis and meiosis, when two copies of DNA are separated and each daughter cell receives one copy.

In addition to storing and transmitting hereditary information, nucleic acids are also involved in the regulation of gene expression. This occurs because certain nucleotide sequences can bind to regulatory proteins called transcription factors.