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B.8 Nucleic Acids, Complementary base pairing - Coggle Diagram

- - - - The phosphate group is derived from phosphoric acid, H3PO4.
        
        The phosphoric acid molecule is triprotic, meaning that it can lose up to three protons by ionisation in order to bond to the pentose sugar and other nucleotides by a condensation reaction
      - There are two different pentose sugars that bond, either ribose or deoxyribose, depending on whether RNA or DNA is constructed.
      - 4 Nitrogenous bases
        
        adenine, guanine and cytosine, thymine
  - - - Ribonucleic acid (RNA)
      - Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)
- - - - DNA uses a deoxyribose sugar and thymine base
    - - when DNA is not in use, it is coiled tightly with proteins into a structure called a chromosome
      - The double helix is wrapped around proteins called histones, like 'beads on a string', to form a structure called a nucleosome. The nucleosomes then fold up to form chromatin fibre.
  - - - RNA uses a ribose sugar and uracil base.
  - - - adenine (A) always pairs with thymine (T), A-T
      - guanine (G) always pairs with cytosine (C), G-C
    - - he sugar-phosphate backbone is hydrophilic (water-loving).
      - The nitrogenous bases, however, are hydrophobic (water-fearing).
- - - - MUTATION
        
        One such example occurs when a single base mutation occurs for the formation of red blood cells, resulting in a condition known as sickle cell disease, or sickle cell anaemia, where the red blood cells do not form correctly and are unable to carry oxygen efficiently in the bloodstream.
- - - - GMO animals have also been made in order to boost the nutritional qualities of the foods that they provide to humans.
    - - Technology, specifically genetic engineering, is solving the problem by making crops more resistant to disease, more tolerant to weather changes and more nutritious.
      - In addition, genetic engineering can help to make fruits and vegetables ripen more slowly and have a longer shelf life, reducing the amount of food that is wasted.