Nucleic acids basic structure

In contrast, RNA occurs in multiple copies and various forms (Table 11.2). Cells contain up to eight times as much RNA as DNA. RNA has a number of important biological functions, and on this basis, RNA molecules are categorized into several major types messenger RNA, ribosomal RNA, and transfer RNA. Eukaryotic cells contain an additional type, small nuclear RNA (snRNA). With these basic definitions in mind, let s now briefly consider the chemical and structural nature of DNA and the various RNAs. Chapter 12 elaborates on methods to determine the primary structure of nucleic acids by sequencing methods and discusses the secondary and tertiary structures of DNA and RNA. Part rV, Information Transfer, includes a detailed treatment of the dynamic role of nucleic acids in the molecular biology of the cell. 

Since these basic facts became known, a tremendous amount of research has been done on the structures and behaviors of these important substances. There has also been much research on the synthesis and study of other chain polyelectrolytes, containing hydrogen-bond-forming radicals (R) more-or-less like those in the natural nucleic acids. The primary aim of this research is, of course, to relate the behavior of the synthetic materials to the behavior of the natural ones. Okubo and Ise here present an excellent discussion on this research. 

Collecting samples of ancient nucleic acids is a delicate operation that requires what are basically surgical procedures. It is advantageous, whenever possible, that the samples be collected at excavation sites and precautions taken to ensure that they do not become contaminated with other, particularly more recent, nucleic acids. At high temperatures and humidity, nucleic acids decay quickly. Well-preserved ancient nucleic acids can, therefore, be expected in sites where low temperatures and a dry environment prevail, as, for example, in cold, desert areas of the world. Once collected, the samples need to be isolated from any other remaining materials until they can be amplified by PCR and their chemical composition and structure can then be studied. 

Since 1974, evidence has accumulated in the literature which indicates that chromatin itself may be considered as an assembly system. It is true that chromatin is more complex than assembly systems analyzed to date, both with respect to the size of the nucleic acid involved and therefore the amount (and variety) of protein complexed with it and with respect to the dynamic aspect of the multilevel higher order structure. Nevertheless, at least at the lower levels of organization, the interpretation of chromatin as an assembly system may be valid. Evidence for this derives from three basic lines of research described in previous sections (1) the reconstitution of the nucleosome, (2) the self-assembly of the octamer, and (3) the putative self-organization of nucleosomes into higher order structures. 

There have been two basic approaches. First one involves isolation of the chromatin and nucleosome from the healthy and diseased cell line. The second approach is the reconstitution of the model target such as nucleosome followed by the association with the drug(s). The second approach has been extensively employed to identify the binding site in the protein-nucleic acid complex. A pre-knowledge about the components and their arrangements in the reconstituted system sometime makes it the preferred approach. Different biophysical, biochemical and genetic techniques have been employed to understand the mode of association and the effect of the drugs upon chromatin/nucleosome structure and function. 

We have moved from the relatively simple structures of the nucleotides, which form the basic structural units of the nucleic acids, through to their helical secondary structures, to the base sequences of many genomes. In doing so, we have related structure to function for both DNA and RNA, just as we did for proteins in earlier chapters. 

The basic structural unit of carbohydrates is the monosaccharide. Molecules in this class contain just one sugar moiety ahexose, pentose, or whatever. Monosaccharides are the building blocks of more complex carbohydrates in mnch the same sense that amino acids are the building blocks for proteins and nncleotides are the building blocks for nucleic acids. 

These basic concepts are followed by a section on the structure of the important biomolecules (pp. 34-87). This part of the book is arranged according to the different classes of metabolites. It discusses carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids, peptides and proteins, nucleotides, and nucleic acids. 

Just as the functioning of nucleic acids depends in part on its overall structure, so does the activity of proteins depend on its overall structure. Protein folding is one of the hot areas today in science. To the synthetic polymer chemist, understanding the influences of factors, basic or fundamental, which produce protein chain folding will allow the creation of new synthetic polymers that possess specifically desired properties. For biochemists, understanding these factors allows us to better understand other factors and to combat particular diseases related to chain folding. 

I.2.4.3 Nucleic Acid Synthesis Inhibitors This mechanism is best exemplified by quinolone antibiotics. The basic structure of aU quinolone antibiotics is similar, with an exocyhc oxygen at position 4. The core structure is ... 

The use of radiolabeled nucleosides as markers for anticancer activity has become a popular method due to the commercial availability of such compounds. The technique is based upon the knowledge that cells rendered unable to replicate or killed by the anticancer agent are unable to effectively incorporate nucleic acid precursors into their DNA or RNA structure. Therefore, a decrease in cell viability correlates with a decrease in radioactivity relative to a control cell population. Although specific procedures differ, the basic technique involves the incubation of tumor cells in the presence of the radiolabeled compound with or without anticancer agent followed by scintillation counting to determine the radioacti vity of the samples. 

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