Consider the sequence 3'-ACGCTACGTC-5'.
What is the total number of covalent bonds joining the nucleotides in each strand?

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the number of nucleotides in the given sequence. The sequence provided is 3'-ACGCTACGTC-5', which contains 10 nucleotides.
2. Understand that each nucleotide in a DNA strand is connected to the next nucleotide by a phosphodiester bond. These bonds form between the 3' hydroxyl group of one nucleotide and the 5' phosphate group of the next nucleotide.
3. Calculate the number of phosphodiester bonds in the strand. Since there are 10 nucleotides, the number of phosphodiester bonds will be one less than the number of nucleotides, which is 10 - 1 = 9.
4. Account for the covalent bonds within each nucleotide. Each nucleotide consists of a sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base, all of which are connected by covalent bonds. There are 3 covalent bonds within each nucleotide.
5. Combine the total number of covalent bonds. Add the covalent bonds within the nucleotides (10 nucleotides × 3 covalent bonds each) to the phosphodiester bonds (9), resulting in the total number of covalent bonds in the strand.

Key Concepts

Covalent Bonds in Nucleotides

Covalent bonds in nucleotides are formed between the phosphate group of one nucleotide and the sugar of the next nucleotide in a DNA or RNA strand. Each nucleotide is linked to its neighbor through a phosphodiester bond, which is a type of covalent bond. This linkage creates the backbone of the nucleic acid strand, providing structural integrity.

Nucleotide Structure

A nucleotide consists of three components: a phosphate group, a five-carbon sugar (deoxyribose in DNA and ribose in RNA), and a nitrogenous base. The sequence of these nucleotides encodes genetic information. Understanding the structure of nucleotides is essential for determining how many covalent bonds are present in a given sequence.

Counting Covalent Bonds

To determine the total number of covalent bonds in a nucleic acid strand, one must count the number of nucleotides and recognize that each bond connects adjacent nucleotides. For a strand of 'n' nucleotides, there are 'n-1' covalent bonds, as the first nucleotide does not have a preceding bond. This counting method is crucial for accurately answering questions about nucleic acid structures.