Make-upNucleic acids form DNA (deoxyribonucleic

acid) and RNA (ribonucleic acid)

Nucleic acids are polymers, made up of smaller monomers called nucleotides.

Nucleotides are made of three smaller sections: Nitrogenous base: either adenine, guanine,

cytosine, thymine (DNA only), or uracil (RNA only).

5-carbon pentose sugar: either deoxyribose (DNA) or ribose (RNA)

phosphate group

StructureSugar and phosphate groups make up the

backbone of the DNA or the outside of the ladder.

 Nitrogenous bases make up the inside or the

rungs of the ladder.

Hydrogen bonds link the two chains of bases.

Each chain forms a helix, so when put together, they form what’s called a double helix.

When they bond together, the structural formation of the nitrogenous bases allows them to only hydrogen bond next to certain other bases.

 Adenine and thymineGuanine and cytosine

 These are referred to as the complementary

base pairs. It is said that the two strands run antiparallel

ATPAdenosine Triphosphate (ATP) is a very

important nucleotide in the cell.ATP is a monomer that consists of 3 phosphate

groups attached to the ribose sugar.  The bonds that attach the 3 phosphates are

known as high-energy bonds because they release a lot of energy.

 ATP provides all the energy that we use up in our

cells.

One of the three phosphate groups is split off the molecule and it yields a high amount of energy that the cell uses. The resulting molecule is called ADP (adenosine diphosphate). The reaction looks like this:

ATP ADP + P +Energy

Because this above reaction releases energy, it is called an exergonic reaction.

Reactions that require energy are called endergonic reactions.

To replace the ATP that we use up in our cells for energy, we break down glucose.

Glucose allows us to re-convert ADP into ATP again.