Meaning of Nucleic acid
Nucleic acid is a chained nucleotide , which can have large sizes. This acid comprises all those cells that contain the genetic information of the living being that carries them. It is commonly known as DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) and RNA (ribonucleic acid), and the man who discovered them was Friedrich Miescher, in 1869. Glucid and nitrogenous bases are the elements that help differentiate between the two. acids . For their part, nucleotides are made up of monosaccharides, phosphate and a nitrogenous base.
Nucleic acid tends to become very familiar with proteins whose composition or constitution is based on having a primordial, imperative and main cell. This cell is responsible for distributing the genetic information of a person and this can be DNA and RNA .
The term "nucleic" is composed of the suffix ico, which refers to something relative or apparent, while "nucleus" comes from the Latin Nucleus, which means center, seed or main area.
DNA is arranged on one strand , as mentioned above, in two long strands, which can be linear (prokaryotic) or circular (eukaryotic). It is of utmost importance for the organism, then, it is the one that contributes and transmits most of the information that develops the biological characteristics that an individual possesses; in addition to this, it sets in motion the activities of other cells, making use of RNA in many cases. Its structure is somewhat complex , presenting a primary and a secondary, which is subdivided into small helixes of different appearance.
Discovery of nucleic acids
Johan Friedrich Miescher was in charge of discovering nucleic acid in 1869, to achieve this, he was in charge of isolating acidic substances called nucleins from the nuclei of single protein cells.
The original name was changed some time later, as multiple investigations and analyzes were made and Miescher chose nucleic acid as a more suitable term. Later, specifically in 1953, Francis and Crick James Watson found a way to know the structure of DNA thanks to a photograph made by Rosalind Franklin, who executed a technique called X-ray diffraction.
Classification of nucleic acids
It is necessary to clarify that there are several types of nucleic acids and that they are classified according to their functions . Each of these acids will be explained below.
Ribonucleic acid / RNA
Ribonucleic acid , better known as RNA or RNA, is an organic chemical compound that can be found in both eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells, in addition, it is the genetic code of some viruses . It is one of the substances that actively participate in the synthesis of proteins, controlling part of the phases it goes through when its creation occurs.
It is also considered one of the most important carriers of information within the body and together with DNA, it works to start up several of the most important cells that can be found.
- Characteristics : RNA is the compound that is responsible for carrying the information of some processes to the ribosomes and, like deoxyribonucleic acid, it is composed of nucleotides. Its nitrogenous bases are not A, G, C, T, but A, G, C, U. It is normal to find it synthesizing in the nuclei of cells (although this does not happen in prokaryotic cells).
There are different types of RNA , among which are the messenger (it carries the information about the amino acids to the ribosomes, so that the protein synthesis occurs), transfer (transfers amino acids), the ribosomal (the one that combines with certain proteins to create ribosomes), regulators (complement other cells or RNA), interference (exclude some specific genes) and antisense (small strands of RNA).
- Structure : The chemical structure of RNA nucleic acids is made up of a series of nucleotides which, in turn, have components such as monosaccharides, phosphates and a nitrogen base. It comes from genes present in DNA, from which a kind of strand emerges that serves as a template for the new ribonucleic acid.
Deoxyribonucleic acid / DNA
DNA is one of the types of nucleic acids that are responsible for storing and distributing the hereditary or genetic information of a person or living beings, but in addition to this, its objective and responsibility is genetic transmission.
DNA is located in both eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells, in the case of the former, it is located in the natural chromosomes of the nucleus, chloroplasts and mitochondria. On the other hand, in the case of prokaryotes, these are located only on the chromosome .
- Characteristics : DNA has genetic characteristics that allow it to send unique information about its composition. All this is based on the real reason why changes occur in living things and what are the individual characteristics that you need to transmit to your descendants.But it also has characteristics of inheritance , the name given to the elements transmitted in the information that is located in the DNA chain. If examples of DNA nucleic acids are needed, it could be a person's paternity or identification tests .
- Structure : the chemical structure of DNA nucleic acids is based on a composition of phosphoric acid, nitrogenous bases divided into two aspects, the first is ianine and the second is adenine, it is also made up of deoxyribose, thymine and cytosine, all this makes that their chains are long and composed of nucleotides.
Artificial nucleic acids
As their name indicates, they are totally different acid components from the previous ones, of course they have a nucleic acid composition the same as the rest, but their functions are different and they are classified as:
- Peptide nucleic acid : it is one where the sequence of nucleic acids varies, since its backbone, which was originally phosphate, is replaced by glycine, which joins thanks to a classic peptide bond . Its bases are pyrimidine and purple and this makes it possible to bind to the skeleton with carboxylic carbon. These do not have a charged backbone , so it can bind more strongly to the complementary strands of single-stranded DNA because there is no electrostatic repulsion.
- Morpholino : the composition of morpholino nucleic acids is based on derivatives of natural acids and they differ because they have a morpholine ring and not a sugar ring, this means that the nitrogen base of natural acids and the phosphodiester bond can be preserved.These tend to be used for scientific research , mostly in oligomeric forms with around 25 nucleotides. Their use is based on performing reverse genetics, as they have the ability to fully bind to the pre-RNA and avoid both the process and its cutting.
- Glycolic nucleic acid : it is an acid that changes ribose for glycerol, of course, keeping both the phosphodiester bond and its base in perfect condition, this makes it unnatural and falls into this classification. It is able to become one with RNA and DNA in a stable way, which is surprising considering that it is artificial. The metabolism of glycolic nucleic acids is simple, quite similar to natural ones.
- Threosic nucleic acid : it is different from the natural components because it has no sugar, but treose and with it, so-called hybrid chains can be synthesized between ATN and DNA, this is achieved by using DNA polymerase. It has the ability to fully bind to RNA, which is why it is frequently used in scientific research .
- Chimeroplast : it is a hybrid between RNA and DNA and is used to make mutations in gene therapies . Its composition is based on five DNA chains flanked by RNA on their sides, in the DNA chains the base that the scientist wants to change from the DNA is located. while the flanking parts of the RNA give stability to the plasto chimera.
Function of nucleic acids
Each of the nucleic components have different functions, but they are all important. Actually, each one exists within the genetic material of living beings, they are responsible for storing and distributing hereditary or genetic information and it is thanks to them that scientists can identify a person through fluids such as blood, saliva, semen , etc.
All the information distributed are individualizing characteristics of people or living beings, they are what define those beings and that denote physical characteristics , for example, texture, skin color, weight, height, etc. Same that first belonged to the ascendants and that pass to the descendants.