1. The Chemistry of Life Nucleic Acids
Ms. Richardson - SBI4U

2. Nucleic Acids
Nucleic acids are found in DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), RNA (ribonucleic acid), ATP and nucleotide coenzymes (NAD+, NADP+ and FAD).
DNA and RNA are nucleotide polymers.
Nucleotides consist of a nitrogenous base, a five-carbon sugar and a phosphate group.
The nitrogenous bases are: adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), thymine (T) and uracil (U).

3. Phosphodiester linkage
Nucleotides
Phosphodiester linkage
(made of a link between phosphate group and hydroxyl group at adjacent sugar’s carbon 3)

4. Nitrogenous Bases
Pyrimidines
Purines

5. Sugars

6. Nucleic Acids
In DNA, A bonds with T with 2 hydrogen bonds, and G bonds with C with 3 hydrogen bonds.
The two strands are antiparallel (one strand is upside down compared to the other).