Textbook Question
What determines the primary structure of a DNA molecule?
a. Stem-and-loop configuration
b. Complementary base pairing
c. Deoxyribonucleotide sequence
d. Hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonding
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Ch.4 - Nucleic Acids and the RNA World
Freeman8th EditionBiological ScienceISBN: 9780138276263
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Table of contents
- Ch. 1 - Biology: The Study of Life13
- Ch. 2 - Water and Carbon: The Chemical Basis of Life14
- Ch.3 - Protein Structure and Function10
- Ch.4 - Nucleic Acids and the RNA World10
- Ch. 5 - An Introduction to Carbohydrates10
- Ch. 6 - Lipids, Membranes, and the First Cells11
- Ch. 7 - Inside the Cell10
- Ch. 8 - Energy and Enzymes: An Introduction to Metabolism10
- Ch. 9 - Cellular Respiration and Fermentation11
- Ch. 10 - Photosynthesis12
- Ch. 11 - Cell-Cell Interactions12
- Ch. 12 - The Cell Cycle8
- Ch. 13 - Meiosis12
- Ch. 14 - Mendel and the Gene23
- Ch. 15 - DNA and the Gene: Synthesis and Repair15
- Ch. 16 - How Genes Work16
- Ch. 17 - Transcription, RNA Processing, and Translation16
- Ch. 18 - Control of Gene Expression in Bacteria16
- Ch. 19 - Control of Gene Expression in Eukaryotes12
- Ch. 20 - The Molecular Revolution: Biotechnology, Genomics, and New Frontiers15
- Ch. 21 - Genes, Development, and Evolution12
- Ch. 22 - Evolution by Natural Selection16
- Ch. 23 - Evolutionary Processes13
- Ch. 24 - Speciation15
- Ch. 25 - Phylogenies and the History of Life13
- Ch. 26 - Bacteria and Archaea15
- Ch. 27 - Diversification of Eukaryotes16
- Ch. 28 - Green Algae and Land Plants16
- Ch. 29 - Fungi18
- Ch. 30 - An Introduction to Animals9
- Ch. 31 - Protostome Animals15
- Ch. 32 - Deuterostome Animals17
- Ch. 33 - Viruses16
- Ch. 34 - Plant Form and Function16
- Ch. 35 - Water and Sugar Transport in Plants16
- Ch. 36 - Plant Nutrition13
- Ch. 37 - Plant Sensory Systems, Signals, and Responses16
- Ch. 38 - Flowering Plant Reproduction and Development16
- Ch. 39 - Animal Form and Function17
- Ch. 40 - Water and Electrolyte Balance in Animals16
- Ch. 41 - Animal Nutrition16
- Ch. 42 - Gas Exchange and Circulation16
- Ch. 43 - Animal Nervous Systems16
- Ch. 44 - Animal Sensory Systems16
- Ch. 45 - Animal Movement11
- Ch. 46 - Chemical Signals in Animals16
- Ch. 47 - Animal Reproduction and Development16
- Ch. 48 - The Immune System in Animals16
- Ch. 49 - An Introduction to Ecology15
- Ch. 50 - Behavioral Ecology16
- Ch. 51 - Population Ecology16
- Ch. 52 - Community Ecology20
- Ch. 53 - Ecosystems and Global Ecology17
- Ch. 54 - Biodiversity and Conservation Ecology18
Chapter 4, Problem 1
What are the four nitrogenous bases found in RNA?
a. Cytosine, guanine, thymine, uracil (C, G, T, U)
b. Adenine, cytosine, guanine, thymine (A, C, G, T)
c. Adenine, cytosine, guanine, uracil (A, C, G, U)
d. Alanine, cysteine, glycine, threonine (A, C, G, T)
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand that RNA is a nucleic acid similar to DNA, but it has a different set of nitrogenous bases.
Recall that DNA contains the bases adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G), and thymine (T).
Note that RNA replaces thymine (T) with uracil (U), so RNA contains adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G), and uracil (U).
Review the options provided in the problem to identify which set of bases corresponds to RNA.
Select the option that lists adenine, cytosine, guanine, and uracil (A, C, G, U) as the nitrogenous bases found in RNA.
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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Nitrogenous Bases in RNA
RNA contains four nitrogenous bases: adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G), and uracil (U). These bases pair with complementary bases during RNA synthesis, with adenine pairing with uracil and cytosine pairing with guanine. Unlike DNA, RNA does not contain thymine.
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5 Nitrogenous Bases
Difference Between DNA and RNA Bases
The primary difference between DNA and RNA bases is the presence of uracil in RNA instead of thymine, which is found in DNA. This substitution is crucial for RNA's function and structure, as uracil forms hydrogen bonds with adenine during transcription and translation processes.
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Role of Nitrogenous Bases in Genetic Coding
Nitrogenous bases are fundamental to genetic coding, as they form sequences that encode genetic information. In RNA, these sequences are transcribed from DNA and translated into proteins, with each triplet of bases (codon) specifying an amino acid, thus playing a critical role in protein synthesis.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question
Evaluate the following statements related to the synthesis of nucleic acids. Select True or False for each statement.
T/F Ribonucleotides are added to the 3′ end of a DNA strand.
T/F Polymerization of nucleic acids occurs by the formation of phosphodiester bonds.
T/F Complementary pairing between sugars is required for copying nucleic acids.
T/F Strands in a double helix are synthesized in an antiparallel orientation.
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Textbook Question
Single strands of nucleic acids are directional, meaning that there are two different ends. What functional groups define the two different ends of a strand?
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