NukleinsäureMolekül

NukleinsäureMolekül, often referred to as nucleic acid molecule in English, is a fundamental biological macromolecule. These molecules are essential for all known forms of life and play a critical role in storing and transmitting genetic information. The two primary types of nucleic acid molecules are deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA). Both DNA and RNA are polymers, meaning they are long chains made up of repeating subunits called nucleotides.

Each nucleotide consists of three components: a phosphate group, a pentose sugar, and a nitrogenous base. In DNA, the pentose sugar is deoxyribose, and the nitrogenous bases are adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), and thymine (T). In RNA, the sugar is ribose, and the bases are adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), and uracil (U), which replaces thymine. The sequence of these nitrogenous bases along the nucleic acid chain encodes genetic information.

DNA typically exists as a double helix, where two strands of nucleotides are held together by hydrogen bonds between complementary bases (A with T, and G with C). This structure allows DNA to store genetic blueprints for the development, functioning, growth, and reproduction of all known organisms and many viruses. RNA, on the other hand, is usually single-stranded and performs various roles in protein synthesis and gene regulation. The study of nucleic acid molecules, particularly their structure, function, and replication, is a cornerstone of molecular biology and genetics.