DO YOU KNOW WHAT IS NUCLEIC ACID ?
Nucleic acids are linear polymers that consist of monomers called nucleotides.
Each nucleotide carries
- a sugar
- a nitrogenous base
- a phosphate group
There are two types of nucleic acids in a nature
- deoxyribose nucleic acids (DNA)
- ribonucleic acids (RNA).
DNA contains the deoxyribose sugar and typically exists in a double-helix form.
Functions of DNA are :
- to store the genetic information and keep it readily accessible to the cell
- to pass down genetic information to offspring during reproduction.
RNA molecules contain the ribose sugar and exist predominately as single-strand molecules.
Functions of RNA are :
- transcribes the genetic information into a form that is easy to understand and read by the cell
- assist in protein synthesis.
