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)