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Practice - Nucleic Acids 3 definitions

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  • Adenosine
    A molecule formed by ribose linked to adenine, lacking a phosphate group, and classified as a nucleoside rather than a nucleotide.
  • Nucleoside
    A compound consisting of a sugar and a base, but missing a phosphate group, distinguishing it from a nucleotide.
  • Nucleotide
    A molecule composed of a sugar, a base, and at least one phosphate group, essential for forming nucleic acid polymers.
  • Phosphate Group
    A negatively charged chemical group attached to nucleotides, contributing to DNA's hydrophilic exterior and overall structure.
  • Base Stacking
    Nonspecific interactions between adjacent bases in a nucleic acid strand, providing major stability to the double helix.
  • Hydrophobic Forces
    Interactions within the DNA helix that exclude water, mainly responsible for stabilizing base stacking between bases.
  • Hydrophilic Forces
    Interactions between water and the exterior of DNA, especially with phosphate groups, aiding in structural stability.
  • B Form
    The most common right-handed helical structure of DNA, characterized by its specific geometry and found in most cellular DNA.
  • A Form
    A right-handed helical structure adopted by double-stranded RNA, differing from DNA's typical conformation.
  • Z Form
    A left-handed helical structure of DNA, often present in regulatory sequences and distinct from A and B forms.
  • Complementary Strand
    A DNA or RNA sequence that pairs with another strand, always written from 5' to 3', ensuring accurate base pairing.
  • Denaturation
    The process where heating causes DNA strands to separate by breaking hydrogen bonds, while covalent bonds remain intact.
  • Hyperchromic Shift
    An increase in UV light absorbance observed when DNA denatures, indicating strand separation and loss of helical structure.
  • Dideoxynucleotide
    A modified nucleotide lacking a 3' hydroxyl group, used in sequencing to terminate DNA synthesis and generate fragments.
  • Sanger Sequencing
    A method for determining DNA sequence by using dideoxynucleotides to create fragments of varying lengths for analysis.