Biochemistry 2 - Nucleic Acid Structure And Function

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Nucleotide

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Basic monomeric unit of DNA and RNA. Composed of a pentose sugar ring, a heterocyclic base, and a phosphate ester group.

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Nucleoside

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Has the components of a nucleotide minus the phosphate ester group.

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Purines

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Heterocyclic compounds consisting of a pyrimidine fused to a 5 member imidazole ring. Includes Adenine and Guanine.

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Pyrimidines

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Heterocyclic compounds containing nitrogen atoms at position 1 and 3 of a 6 member ring. Includes cytosine, thymine (DNA), and uracil (RNA).

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RNA

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RiboNucleic Acid perform multiple vital roles in the coding, decoding, regulation, and expression of genes. Typically single stranded.

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DNA

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DeoxyriboNucleic Acid - is a molecule that encodes the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms and many viruses. Consist of two polynucleotide chains wound around each other ina right-handed double helix. The two strands are anti-parallel with their base groups facing inward the helix. Bases are linked by hydrogen bonding and are arranged complementary to one another.

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Phosphodiester Bond

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The bond that connects two adjacent nucleotides via the phosphate group of one nucleotide and the hydroxyl group on the 3rd carbon of the other nucleotide.

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Azidothymidine/Zidovudine (AZT)

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Thymine nucleoside analogue that has an azide group in place of the 3'OH group. Acts as a viral reverse transcriptase inhibitor. Used to treat HIV and reduce mother to baby transmission of HIV.

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Didanosine (ddl)

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Nucleoside analogue of adenosine that essentially lacks a 3'OH group. Functions as a viral reverse transcriptase inhibitor

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Acyclovir

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Nucleoside analogue of thymine which has an ester in the place of the pentose sugar ring. It is selective in being phosphorylated by viral thymidine kinases, making them highly specific for infected cells. Used as an anti-viral drug to treat patients with herpes simplex.

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Tenofovir

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Nucleotide analogue of adenosine that essentially has an ester in the place of the pentose sugar ring. Competes with normal adenosine in DNA replication. Incorporation will result in termination of DNA synthesis. Used to treat HIV.

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Cytosine arabinoside (araC)

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Nucleoside analogue of cytosine that has the hydroxyl group on carbon 2 facing the opposite direction which causes steric hinderance of new phosphodiester bond. Results in chain termination when incorporated into synthesizing DNA chain. Used for anticancer treatment, especially for leukemia.

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Adenosine arabinoside (araC)

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Nucleoside analogue of adenosine that has the hydroxyl group on carbon 2 facing the opposite direction which causes steric hinderance of new phosphodiester bond. Results in chain termination when incorporated into synthesizing DNA chain. Used for anticancer treatment, especially for leukemia.

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5-azacytidine

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Nucleoside analogue of cytidine which has a nitrogen in place of carbon on the 5 position of the cytosine ring. Their incorporation into synthesized RNA causes hypomethylation. Methylation is an important component of transcriptional regulation. Used to treat Myelodysplastic Syndrome and Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

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5-aza-2′deoxycytidine (Decitabine)

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Deoxy-Nucleoside analogue of cytidine which has a nitrogen in place of carbon on the 5 position of the cytosine ring. Their incorporation into synthesized RNA causes hypomethylation. Methylation is an important component of transcriptional regulation. Used to treat Myelodysplastic Syndrome and Acute Myeloid Leukemia.