Question

1.Nucleotides are joined together in long strands to make polymers.

• Which part/s of the nucleotides is/are present in the backbone of a nucleic acid strand and how are they arranged?

• Which part/s of the nucleotide is/are not in the backbone? How is it/are they linked to the backbone?

• Nucleic acid polymers are not symmetrical – one end is different from the other end. What are the names for each end? What molecular feature is described by these names?

2. An important feature of nucleic acids is the ability of bases to pair.

•What type of bond holds together atoms within an individual nucleotide?

• What type of bond holds together nucleotides that are linked in the same strand?

• What type of bond holds together bases from different strands that are paired?

• Which type of bond (above) is stronger?

3. RNA

•RNAs are typically single-stranded. Would you expect Chargaff’s patterns to apply to them? Why or why not?

•Although RNAs are typically single-stranded, they are involved in base pairing. Provide an example of base pairing that involves RNA. (There are many to choose from.)

• In eukaryotic cells, after an RNA is transcribed, it undergoes RNA processing. What are the three types of RNA processing? Briefly explain each type. (Hint: one happens at the 5’ end, one at the 3’ end, and one in the middle.)

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