Nitrogen containing base - adenine, cytosine,
guanine and cytosine
Deoxyribose/Pentose Sugar
Phosphate group
Bases
Adenine and guanine -
pyramidine bases/double
ring structure
Cytosine and thymine -
purine bases/single ring
structure
Adenine is
complementary to
thymine - 2 hydrogen bonds
Cytosine is
complementary to
guanine - 3 hydrogen bonds
RNA
Uracil replaces thymine
There is a ribose sugar
instead of a
deoxyribose sugar
It is single stranded whilst
DNA is double stranded
Protein Synthesis
Process by which
proteins are made in
cells
Transcription
Nota:
1. Hydrogen bonds break between base pairs - DNA strands unzip
2. Free RNA nucleotides form complementary base pairs using one DNA strand as a template (produces mRNA strand)3. Newly formed mRNA strand leaves nucleus through nuclear pores.
Translation
Nota:
1. mRNA strand binds to a ribosome
2. Amino acids in cytoplasm become attached to tRNA molecules (they are specific)
3. Anticodon on the tRNA binds to codon on mRNA molecule according to complementary base pairing.
4. Next codon from mRNA allows tRNA anticodon to bind. A peptide bond joins the amino acids.
5. Ribosome moves along the mRNA molecule until all amino acids are linked.
6. Polypeptide chain then dissociates from the ribosome.
Triplet Code
Code is degenerate as most
amino acids have 1+ triplet code
Non - overlapping -
each base is only
read once
Three triplet codes don't code for any
amino acid (stop codes). They mark
the end of a polypeptide chain
Universal - the same in all organisms
DNA - triplet code
mRNA - codons
tRNA - anticodons