What are nucleotides?
Q: What are nucleotides?
A: Nucleotides are organic molecules that are the building blocks of the nucleic acids RNA and DNA. They consist of a nucleobase (nitrogenous base), a five-carbon sugar (either ribose or 2-deoxyribose), and one phosphate group.
Q: What is the difference between ribonucleotides and deoxyribonucleotides?
A: Ribonucleotides contain a sugar called ribose, while deoxyribonucleotides contain a sugar called deoxyribose.
Q: What are the purine bases in DNA?
A: The purine bases in DNA are adenine and guanine.
Q: What is the pyrimidine base used in place of thymine in RNA?
A: In RNA, uracil is used in place of thymine.
Q: How do adenine and guanine pair with their respective nitrogenous bases?
A: Adenine pairs with thymine by 2 hydrogen bonds, while guanine pairs with cytosine through 3 hydrogen bonds due to their unique structures.
Q: What role do nucleotides play in metabolism at a cellular level?
A: Nucleotides provide chemical energy for many cellular functions such as amino acid synthesis, protein synthesis, cell membrane synthesis, moving cells internally or intercellularly, cell division etc., as well as playing an important role in cell signaling and acting as cofactors of enzymatic reactions.
Q: How can nucleotides be labeled experimentally?
A:Nucleotides can be labeled using radionuclide to make radionucleotide experimentally
