Basic
structure of nucleic acids
Nucleic acids are molecules designated to accumulate encode information
about cellular functions and structures. DNA or desoxirribonucleic acid
is a linear chain composed by units named nucleotides. Each nucleotide
consists of a sugar (desoxirribose), a phosphate group and a nitrogen
base. There are four distint bases (Adenine, Guanine, Citosine and Timine),
so there are four distint nucleotides.
The order of these nucleotides in the chain is very important for genetic
code, and is named DNA sequence.
Each
DNA chain must be stabilized by other chain that must be complementary.
This means that when an A exists in the first chain, a T must appear in
the second one, and if G is present in one of them, C must appear in the
complementary one. The two chains form a tridimensional structure called
DNA duplex.
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