1. DNA and RNA How are DNA and RNA similar? Both are nucleic acids Both are made of repeating nucleotides Both contain adenine, guanine, and cytosine bases Both have a “backbone” of alternating sugars and phosphate groups Both are used in protein synthesis Both can be found in the nucleus

2. How are DNA and RNA different? DNARNA Name Deoxyribonucleic acid Ribonucleic acid # of strands 2 strands or double stranded; connected by hydrogen bonds 1 strand or single stranded Shape Double helix or a twisted ladder Half a ladder/ one side of a ladder Sugar deoxyriboseribose Nitrogen bases adenine – thymine guanine – cytosine adenine – uracil guanine - cytosine

3. DNARNA Where found Nucleus (too big; can’t leave) Nucleus and ribosomes Types of DNA mRNA, rRNA, tRNA Function/Job has the instructions to make proteins Contains all your genetic/hereditary information mRNA – makes a copy of DNA’s instructions rRNA – reads the mRNA copy tRNA – transfers amino acids

4. Complimentary Base-pairing Rule: Purine bases are adenine and guanine Pyrimidine bases are thymine and cytosine Adenine always bonds with Thymine Cytosine always bonds with Guanine

5. DNA Replication Only occurs when a cell is about to divide Makes an exact copy of the DNA Described as being semi-conservative Semi-conservative – means the old DNA is used as a template to make the new DNA 1) DNA helicase untwist the DNA and breaks the hydrogen bonds apart creating a replication fork 2) DNA polymerase begins attaching free-floating nucleotides to each side of the fork 3) 2 identical “daughter” strands of DNA are created. Each strand contains 1 side of old DNA and 1 side of new DNA