DNA and the secret of life
In 1953 the structure of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was discovered, it is a type of nucleic
acid and is the material that composes the genes that transmit and determine the
characteristics of living organisms.
Nucleic acids are linear biopolymers, they are macromolecules composed of an
alternation of sugars and phosphates linked together in a long chain. If the sugar is ribose,
the polymer is RNA.
If the sugar is deoxyribose, the polymer is DNA.
The role of the nitrogen base
Nucleobases are biological compounds containing nitrogen.
There are five primary nitrogenous bases: adenine, cytosine, guanine, thymine and uracil.
DNA contains adenine, guanine, cytosine and thymine.
RNA contains adenine, guanine, cytosine and uracil.
The role of DNA and RNA
DNA and RNA serve to encode, transmit and express genetic information in and out of the
cell nucleus.
The DNA stores all the genetic information, while the RNA acts as a carrier of this
information.
DNA contains the instructions needed to build other components of cells, such as proteins
and RNA molecules.
The RNA received at the conversion of genetic information from genes into the amino acid
sequences of proteins.
There are three types of RNA:
- transfer RNA: amino acid carrier molecule to be used in the synthesis of proteins
- messenger RNA: carries information from DNA to ribosomes
- ribosomal RNA: catalyzes the formation of peptide bonds