1. MACROMOLECULES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS

2. What is a nucleic acid?
The last type of macromolecules is a special group called nucleic acids.
These very large organic compounds are found in all living cells. The two types of nucleic acids are DNA and RNA.

3. What are the building blocks of nucleic acids?
The building blocks of nucleic acids are nucleotides. Nucleotides have
A sugar
A phosphate
A nitrogen base (there are 5 different bases)

4. Structure of Nucleic Acids
The shape of nuclei acids is
very distinctive.
A helix is like a spiral.

5. Structure of Nucleic Acids
DNA is a double helix similar to a
spiral staircase

6. Structure of Nucleic Acids
while RNA is a single strand.

7. What are the functions of nucleic acids?
These special macromolecules play very important roles in living organisms.
DNA carries the hereditary traits of an organism.
RNA helps cells make proteins based on the code found in the DNA

8. The DNA Molecule DNA stands for Deoxyribonucleic acid
There are 4 different nitrogen bases in DNA
Adenine (A)
Thymine (T)
Cytosine (C)
Guanine (G)

9. The DNA Molecule The nitrogen bases pair up in a specific way
Adenine pairs with Thymine (A-T or T-A)
Cytosine pairs with Guanine (C-G or G-C)
We call these bases that match up with each other complementary

10. The DNA Molecule
On the back of your notes page write down 9 DNA bases down the left side of your paper: A-, T-, G-, G-, T- etc.
You may list them in any order you choose
Now go back and write in the complementary base that matches each of your 9 bases

11. The DNA Molecule
Compare your DNA molecule with the person sitting next to you
Now compare your 2 DNA molecules with the students sitting closest to you
Did anyone create the same DNA Molecule?
Why do you think this is the case?

12. Add to your notebook
Add the page to your
notebook as directed.