What reaction synthesizes nucleic acids?
Nucleotide synthesis is an anabolic mechanism generally involving the chemical reaction of phosphate, pentose sugar, and a nitrogenous base. Destruction of nucleic acid is a catabolic reaction. Additionally, parts of the nucleotides or nucleobases can be salvaged to recreate new nucleotides.
What is an analogy for DNA?
The twisted ladder is an analogy for DNA structure which has considerable potential to help students mentally visualize the structure of DNA.
What is an analogy for transcription?
The copy machine is an analogy for the process of transcription. The copies are the messenger RNA (mRNA) that take the information within the nucleus and bring it to the site of translation.
What is an analogy for DNA polymerase?
DNA polymerase is the enzyme that synthesizes DNA from single bases when making a new helix. Some bases are complete, like the normal LEGO® blocks and some are modified, like the flat-topped LEGO® blocks. When DNA polymerase selects a base randomly, it has a chance to choose modified or normal nucleotide bases.
Where are nucleotides synthesized?
the liver
Nucleotides are obtained in the diet and are also synthesized from common nutrients by the liver. Nucleotides are composed of three subunit molecules: a nucleobase, a five-carbon sugar (ribose or deoxyribose), and a phosphate group consisting of one to three phosphates.
Where does nucleic acid synthesis occur in cell?
Prokaryotic DNA replication occurs in the cytoplasm, since these cells lack nuclei. Prokaryotic genomes are comprised of a single circular chromosome, with one origin of replication.
What is an analogy for amino acid?
An amino acid is a unit used to build up a protein, like a piece of timber used to build up a house.
What’s an analogy for protein synthesis?
The written instructions of the blueprint are being translated into a physical house being built. So, protein synthesis is kind of like constructing a house.
What is an analogy for the cell membrane?
Cell Parts Analogy. The cell membrane controls what goes in and out of the cell. The cell membrane is like a screen door, because a screen door holds things out but lets air in.
Can nucleotides be synthesized?
Synthesis of nucleotides requires a source of ribose 5-phosphate. This compound is produced from glucose 6-phosphate via the pentose phosphate pathway (also called the hexose monophosphate shunt). The oxidative part of the pathway converts glucose 6-phosphate to ribose 5-phosphate and produces two NADPH (Figure 4).
How are nucleotides produced industrially?
Currently, purine nucleotides are obtained at industrial level mainly by microbial fermentation, either by RNA extraction and further breakdown into free nucleotides or by improved metabolic biosynthesis, subsequent excretion of the nucleosides to the culture medium, and further chemical or enzymatic phosphorylation [1 …