Discussion #5:
Life’s informational polymers
Central Dogma
What are proteins?What are proteins?•Proteins are polymers of amino acids
General structure of amino acids
R-groups fall into 3 major types• Charged, polar• Uncharged, polar• Hydrophobic, nonpolar
How do amino acids link together to form proteins?
Peptide bonds form between amino acids via a condensation reaction
H2O
What are nucleic acids?• Nucleic acids are polymers of nucleotides• Nucleic acids consists of DNA or RNA
Nucleotide Structure
What type of sugar is this?
How do we know?
Phosphodiester bonds form between nucleotides via a condensation reaction
Nitrogenous Bases• Ways to remember – Purine Purina is for animals and we are the AGgies• Adenine • Guanine
– Pyrimidines CUT the Pye• Cytosine• Uracil (RNA only)• Thymine (DNA only)