Chapter 4: Nucleic Acids and RNA World

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RNA world hypothesis

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Proposal that RNA stored genetic information and catalyzed its own replication, emerging before DNA and proteins during chemical evolution.

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Nucleic Acids

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A macromolecule composed of nucleotide monomers, used to store or transmit hereditary information. Includes ribonucleic acid and deoxyribonucleic acid.

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Nucleotides

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Basic units of DNA molecule, composed of a phosphate, a 5-carbon sugar, and one of four DNA bases.

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Ribonucleotides

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The polymer subunits of RNA.

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Deoxyribonucleotides

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The polymer subunits of DNA.

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Deoxyribonucleic acid

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A nucleic acid molecule, usually a double-stranded helix, with nucleotide strands consisting of nucleotide monomers with a deoxyribose sugar and bases A, T, C, G.

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Ribonucleic Acid

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A type of nucleic acid with a ribose sugar and bases adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G), and uracil (U); usually single-stranded.

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Purines

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A class of double-ringed nitrogenous bases [adenine (A), guanine (G)] found in nucleotides.

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Pyrimidines

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A class of single-ringed nitrogenous bases [cytosine (C), uracil (U), thymine (T)] found in nucleotides.

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Pentose

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A sugar with 5 carbons.