The chemical structure of nucleic acid was identified in the 1940s (see Fig. 2.6).
Because there are two types of pentose—ribose and deoxyribose—the nucleic acid
containing ribose was called ribonucleic acid (RNA), and the nucleic acid containing deoxyribose was called deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). For animals and
plants alike, DNA was found to exist within the cell’s nucleus and RNA in the
nucleus or the cytoplasm. DNA and RNA both consist of four different bases. The
bases adenine (A), guanine (G), and cytosine (C) are shared by both, but DNA
contain thymine (T) while RNA contains uracil (U). The bases, pentose, and
phosphoric acid form the basic unit of nucleic acid, namely the nucleotide, which
Fig. 2.6 Components of nucleic acid
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2 Introduction to Molecular Biology
Because there are two types of pentose—ribose and deoxyribose—the nucleic acid
containing ribose was called ribonucleic acid (RNA), and the nucleic acid containing deoxyribose was called deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). For animals and
plants alike, DNA was found to exist within the cell’s nucleus and RNA in the
nucleus or the cytoplasm. DNA and RNA both consist of four different bases. The
bases adenine (A), guanine (G), and cytosine (C) are shared by both, but DNA
contain thymine (T) while RNA contains uracil (U). The bases, pentose, and
phosphoric acid form the basic unit of nucleic acid, namely the nucleotide, which
Fig. 2.6 Components of nucleic acid
32
2 Introduction to Molecular Biology