1.5e Nucleic Acids:
(Westfall)
Organisms store genetic information about the proteins of their body in big
molecules called NUCLEIC ACIDS. Genes in humans are made up of DNA –
deoxyribose nucleic acid. Genes in some germs are often made up of RNA – ribose
nucleic acid. Nucleic acids are large repeating molecules. The smaller units that
bond together are called NUCLEOTIDES. Each nucleotide is made up of 3
components:
1.. Five carbon sugar (ribose in RNA and deoxyribose in DNA).
2.. Phosphate group.
3.. A nitrogen containing part called a nitrogenous base.
There are 4 types of nitrogenous bases in DNA:
A.. Adenine (A).
B.. Cytosine (C).
C.. Guanine (G).
D.. Thymine (T).
DNA:
DNA is made up of 2 long nucleotide strands. DNA looks like a ladder. There are
sides of the ladder and the middle steps connecting the sides of the ladder.
Ladder sides = Ribose bonded to phosphate – ribose – phosphate – etc.
Lidder steps middle = nitrogenous bases bonded to each other.
DNA is a very tightly bonded structure to withstand lots of heat. It then folds
sideways to form a double helix structure. A – T: adenine bonds with thymine.
G – C: guanine always bonds with cytosine.
DNA (genes) is how we pass traits from parents to children. The order of the
DNA determines the genes, which determines the proteins made.
DNA – genes – proteins
HUMAN DNA:
 46 chromosomes is healthy.
 23 chromosomes from Mom and Dad each.
 3 billion base pairs.
 30,000 genes in a human genome.
 100,000 proteins made in a human.
RNA:
RNA is usually only one single chain of nucleotides in a helix form. The
nitrogenous bases are not paired. Thymine is replaced with Uracil (U).
In humans, DNA is copied in the nucleus into messenger RNA and sent into the
cytoplasm (ribosomes) to make proteins. If DNA were to leave the nucleus,
enzymes would break it down and you have no genes for future use.
New Biology:
Scientists are just discovering what turns genes ON and OFF. If you are
interested in this, go to you tube and listen to the following experts talk about it.
1.. Food turns genes ON or OFF:
T. Colin Campbell.
2.. Emotions and thoughts turn genes ON or OFF:
Bruce Lipton.
Gregg Braden.
Dawson Church.
3.. www.hearthmath.org is an organization that is doing research into this.