Characteristics of nucleic acids
(a) The components of nucleic acids are nucleotides joined by phosphodiester linkage to one another.
(b) Based on the type of sugar in nucleic acids, nucleic acids can either be
deoxyribonucleic acids in which case they contain deoxyribose sugar or ribonucleic acids when the sugar is a ribose one.
(c) The double stranded forms of both DNA or RNA can be denatured.
(d) DNA is highly viscous at pH 7.0 and room temperature (25°C).
(e) At extreme pH or temperature above 80°C the viscosity of DNA decreases sharply, which is an indicator of physical change.
(f) The denaturation of double helical DNA associated with the disruption of hydrogen bonds between the paired bases is called melting of the.
(g) The temperature midpoint in the transition is called melting temperature ™.
(h) For nucleic acids the marked absorption in the ultraviolet (UV) region of the lights pectrum with Absorption maxima is near 260nm.
Intext Questions
1. The components of nucleic acids are nucleotides joined by ………………
2. ……………… is highly viscous at pH 7.0
3. At temperature above ……………… the viscosity of DNA decreases
4. The Absorption maxima of nucleic acid is near ………………
