Nucleic acid

A biological macromolecule composed of nucleotide chains that stores, transmits, or helps express genetic information. DNA and RNA are its principal forms.

Nucleotide: A molecule containing a nitrogenous base, a five-carbon sugar, and one or more phosphate groups. Nucleotides are the repeating units joined into nucleic acid chains.
Base pairing: The selective hydrogen bonding of complementary nucleobases, such as adenine with thymine or uracil. Complementary pairing enables strands to form templates for copying and transcription.
Polymerase chain reaction: A laboratory method that repeatedly copies chosen DNA regions using primers and a heat-stable polymerase. PCR amplifies DNA sequences for testing, research, and identification.
DNA: A nucleic acid whose molecules usually consist of two complementary strands and use deoxyribose. DNA is the principal long-term genetic storage molecule in cellular life.
RNA world hypothesis: The hypothesis that early life relied on RNA for both genetic information storage and catalysis. It proposes a possible early role for nucleic acids before modern DNA-protein systems.
Nucleoside: A molecule consisting of a nitrogenous base bonded to a sugar, without phosphate. Adding phosphate groups to a nucleoside produces a nucleotide.
DNA replication: The cellular process that copies DNA before cell division. Replication transmits DNA sequence information to daughter cells.
DNA sequencing: Methods for determining the nucleotide order of a DNA molecule. Sequencing reads the information stored in DNA.
RNA: A nucleic acid whose molecules usually contain ribose and are often single-stranded. RNA carries out diverse information-transfer, regulatory, and catalytic roles.
Ribozymes: RNA molecules that catalyze specific chemical reactions. Their catalytic ability supports the possibility that RNA could combine heredity and function.

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