The sugar phosphate backbone is an important stuctural component of DNA. It consists of 5-carbon deoxyribose sugars and phosphate groups. These sugars are linked together by a phosphodiester bond, between carbon 4 of their chain, and a CH2 group that is attached to a phosphate ion.
what does the backbone of DNA do?
A sugar-phosphate backbone (alternating grey-dark grey) joins together nucleotides in a DNA sequence. The sugar-phosphate backbone forms the structural framework of nucleic acids, including DNA and RNA. This backbone is composed of alternating sugar and phosphate groups, and defines directionality of the molecule.
what is found in the backbone?
I, III, and IV. Explanation: The backbone of DNA consists of a phosphate group and a deoxyribose. These two components are therefore connected by a phosphodiester bond. The nucleotides are not included in the backbone.
why is it called sugar phosphate backbone?
The “sides” of the ladder (or strands of DNA) are known as the sugar–phosphate backbone. This backbone consists of alternating phosphate and sugar groups, with the sugar molecule of one nucleotide linking to the phosphate group of the adjacent nucleotide. Connected to each sugar is a nitrogenous base.
What is the name of the backbone in DNA?
The sugars in the backbone The backbone of DNA is based on a repeated pattern of a sugar group and a phosphate group. The full name of DNA, deoxyribonucleic acid, gives you the name of the sugar present – deoxyribose. Deoxyribose is a modified form of another sugar called ribose.
Where does DNA replication occur?
DNA replication occurs in the cytoplasm of prokaryotes and in the nucleus of eukaryotes. Regardless of where DNA replication occurs, the basic process is the same. You may also read,
What 3 things make up a nucleotide?
A nucleotide consists of three things: A nitrogenous base, which can be either adenine, guanine, cytosine, or thymine (in the case of RNA, thymine is replaced by uracil). A five-carbon sugar, called deoxyribose because it is lacking an oxygen group on one of its carbons. One or more phosphate groups. Check the answer of
What holds the sugar phosphate backbone together?
Explanation: The bond formed between the sugar of one nucleotide and the phosphate of an adjacent nucleotide is a covalent bond. A covalent bond is the sharing of electrons between atoms. A covalent bond is stronger than a hydrogen bond (hydrogen bonds hold pairs of nucleotides together on opposite strands in DNA).
What is the shape of a DNA molecule called?
Basic Structure of DNA It is a chain of chemical building blocks called nucleotides that are a combination of a nitrogen base, a sugar called deoxyribose and a phosphate group. The DNA molecule is shaped like a ladder that is twisted into a coiled configuration called a double helix. Read:
What is the sugar backbone of RNA?
RNA and DNA are both examples of phosphodiesters and have a very similar structure. However, their sugar phosphate backbone differs slightly. In DNA, the sugar involved is deoxyribose. On on the other hand, the sugar in the backbone of RNA is called ribose.
What is the main function of nucleic acids?
The functions of nucleic acids have to do with the storage and expression of genetic information. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) encodes the information the cell needs to make proteins. A related type of nucleic acid, called ribonucleic acid (RNA), comes in different molecular forms that participate in protein synthesis.
Why is DNA called the blueprint of life?
DNA is called the blueprint of life because it contains the instructions needed for an organism to grow, develop, survive and reproduce. DNA does this by controlling protein synthesis. Proteins do most of the work in cells, and are the basic unit of structure and function in the cells of organisms.
What is DNA made of?
DNA is made of chemical building blocks called nucleotides. These building blocks are made of three parts: a phosphate group, a sugar group and one of four types of nitrogen bases. To form a strand of DNA, nucleotides are linked into chains, with the phosphate and sugar groups alternating.
Is thymine a sugar?
Like the other nitrogenous components of nucleic acids, thymine is part of thymidine, a corresponding nucleoside (a structural unit composed of a nitrogen compound and a sugar), in which it is chemically linked with the sugar deoxyribose.
Is DNA a sugar?
The sugar in DNA is 2-deoxyribose, which is a pentose (five-carbon) sugar. The sugars are joined together by phosphate groups that form phosphodiester bonds between the third and fifth carbon atoms of adjacent sugar rings.
