Nucleic Acids: DNA and RNA Explained
What are Nucleic Acids and Their Function?
They are the largest molecules found in the living world and are responsible for vital control processes.
Types of Nucleic Acids (Acronyms)
Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and Ribonucleic acid (RNA)
What Constitutes Nucleic Acids?
They are constituted by smaller units called nucleotides.
How Can Pentoses Be Divided?
They can be divided into ribose (RNA) and deoxyribose (DNA).
How Can We Divide Nitrogenous Bases?
They are divided into purines and pyrimidines.
In DNA,
Read MoreUnderstanding Environmental Factors and Adaptations in Terrestrial Ecosystems
1. The Environment
The environment is defined by the set of conditions or environmental factors that exist in a place. Not all factors that determine an environment equally affect different living things. The environmental factors that determine the distribution and abundance of a species are called limiting factors. For each factor, species develop within certain values > tolerance zone. Within this, there is an optimal zone in which the species survives best.
Two Types of Environmental Factors
Abiotic
The
Read MoreLong-Term Potentiation: Mechanisms, Receptors, and Changes
Long-Term Potentiation (LTP) in CA1
For LTP to occur in area CA1: glutamate binds to NMDA receptors (ligand-gated).
The cell must be sufficiently depolarized to expel the Mg2+ block from the NMDAR (voltage-gated).
NMDAR passes Ca2+ ions ONLY when the Mg2+ block is removed.
To remove Mg2+: strong depolarization of the cell by a strong input is needed.
Other Glutamate Receptors
Other than NMDA receptors, what other receptors does glutamate bind to?
Two types of glutamate receptors: NMDA and AMPA.
Strengthening
Read MoreDNA Transcription and Translation: Unveiling Protein Synthesis
DNA Transcription: Initiating Protein Synthesis
When a portion of the information contained within a DNA molecule needs to be utilized in the cell’s cytoplasm for protein construction, it undergoes a process called transcription. This results in the formation of a smaller ribonucleic acid chain known as messenger RNA (mRNA). mRNA utilizes the same fundamental base pairing rules as DNA, with the key difference being that thymine is replaced by uracil. Ribonucleotides are sequentially added in the
Read MorePhotosynthesis: Light and Dark Reactions
Fundamentals of Photosynthesis
In photosynthesis, light is captured by pigments. When a photon is absorbed by an electron, a photosynthetic pigment is excited. The pigment electron will be provided again if there is a primary donor of electrons. The liberated electrons pass to a primary electron acceptor and then to an electron transport chain. Reactions that occur in this chain are exothermic. The energy is used to create a proton gradient through the thylakoid membrane. Subsequently, the passage
Read MoreTransposons and RNA: Key Aspects and Functions
Transposons
Transposons are segments of DNA that can move or “jump” from one chromosomal location (donor site) to another, either within the same chromosome or to a different one (target site). The insertion of a transposon into an essential gene could be lethal to the cell, so this movement is closely regulated and usually infrequent. Transposons are molecular parasites that passively replicate within the host cell’s chromosome. In some cases, transposons carry genes that are useful to the host
Read More