#ribonucleotides

[freehealthteacher]

Unified prebiotically plausible synthesis of pyrimidine and purine RNA ribonucleotides Theories about the origin of life require chemical pathways that allow formation of life’s key building blocks under prebiotically plausible conditions.

[survivingbio]

DNA Structure

·         Nucleic acids have a 5’ carbon sugar, phosphate group, and nitrogen base (AT, CG or AU, CG)

·         Ribonucleotides (which make up RNA) vs. deoxyribonucleotides (which make up DNA)

o   

(Source: htxray.bmc.uu.se/~lars/Practicals/Enzymes/RNR.html) o   If you look at the yellow 2’ carbon, ribonucleotides have an extra O whereas deoxyribonucleotides do not o   They both link together the same way to form nucleic acids:

 (Source: http://ejaz-dna.blogspot.com/) You can see that they link together from 5’ à 3’. The 3’ carbon links with the phosphate group

·         RNA vs. DNA o   DNA is made up of an anti-parallel structure of sugars that allows H-bonds to form. RNA, on the other hand, makes hairpins that can not only carry info (as does DNA) but also catalyze chemical reactions.

o   DNAs base pairs are: Adenine and Thymine, Cytosine and Guanine. RNA base pairs are: Adenine and Uracil, Cytosine and Guanine. (easy way to remember: AT CG= at classroom guidance)