Contains the genetic code for life.
C H O N P
Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen, Phosphorous
Nucleotides: Include a phosphate and sugar backbone, and one of four different nitrogen bases. The nucleotides are held together by strong covalent bonds between the phosphate and sugar.
(can you find all the elements in the diagram at right?)
Contains the instructions for making proteins in living things. It's two-stranded and in the form of a double helix. The two strands are held together by weak hydrogen bonds between the different nitrogen bases.
Cytosine always pairs with guanine.
Adenine always pairs with thymine.
The sugar molecule is called deoxyribose.
Helps translate the information from DNA into a protein molecule.
RNA is single stranded and can make weak hydrogen bonds with unzipped DNA molecules or itself.
Cytosine always pairs with guanine.
Adenine always pairs with uracil.
The sugar molecule is ribose.