Question

The underlying structure of DNA is very simple, consisting of only four possible building blocks. a. How is it possible for DNA to carry complex genetic information if its structure is so simple? b. What are these building blocks? Can each block be subdivided into smaller units, and if so, what are they? What kinds of chemical bonds link the building blocks? c. How does the underlying structure of RNA differ from that of DNA?

Answer 1

Answer and Explanation:

a) Although the DNA is made up of only four possible building blocks, these blocks are combined from a 3 (form triplets of nitrogenous bases) giving rise to a large variety of nucleotide sequences that carry a large amount of genetic information.

b) DNA is a polymer formed by nucleotides, which we could consider as the building blocks.

Each of these nucleotides is, at the same time, formed by a carbohydrate, a nitrogenous base and a phosphate group (derived from phosphoric acid). The nitrogen base may be adenine (A), thymine (T), cytosine (C) or guanine (G).

The nitrogenous bases are located in a complementary manner between the two strands of DNA, with thymine-adenine being joined by a double bridge of hydrogen and cytosine-guanine by three hydrogen bonds.

Example of questions A and B: AAA, AAT, AAC, AAG, ATT, ACC, AGG, ATA, ACA, AGA, etc.

c) In RNA the carbohydrate that is present is ribonucleic acid while in DNA it is deoxyribonucleic acid.

In addition, in the RNA, the thymine nitrogenous base is replaced by the Uracil.