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Nucleic Acid Structure

Nucleic Acid Structure

The pentose sugar in DNA is deoxyribose, while in RNA the pentose sugar is ribose. The difference between the sugars is the presence of the hydroxyl group on the ribose's second carbon and a hydrogen on the deoxyribose's second carbon. The phosphate residue attaches to the hydroxyl group of the 5′ carbon of one sugar and the hydroxyl group of the 3′ carbon of the sugar of the next nucleotide, which forms a 5′ to 3′ phosphodiester linkage.
DNA Structure
DNA...

Nucleic Acids

Nucleic Acids

Nucleic acids are the most important macromolecules for the continuity of life. They carry the cell's genetic blueprint and carry instructions for its functioning.
DNA and RNA
The two main types of nucleic acids are deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA). DNA is the genetic material in all living organisms, ranging from single-celled bacteria to multicellular mammals. It is in the nucleus of eukaryotes and in the organelles, chloroplasts, and mitochondria. In prokaryotes,...

Nucleic acids

Nucleic acids

Nucleic acids are the most important macromolecules for the continuity of life. They carry the cell's genetic blueprint and carry instructions for its functioning.
DNA and RNA
The two main types of nucleic acids are deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA). DNA is the genetic material in all living organisms, ranging from single-celled bacteria to multicellular mammals. It is in the nucleus of eukaryotes and in the organelles, chloroplasts, and mitochondria. In prokaryotes,...

The DNA Helix

The DNA Helix

Deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA, is the genetic material responsible for passing traits from generation to generation in all organisms and most viruses. DNA is composed of two strands of nucleotides that wind around each other to form a spring-like structure called a double helix. However, the double helix is not perfectly symmetrical. Instead, there are regularly occurring grooves in the structure. The major groove occurs where the sugar-phosphate backbones are relatively far apart. This space...

The DNA Helix

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Phosphodiester Linkages

Phosphodiester Linkages

Overview
Phosphodiester bond forms when a phosphoric acid molecule (H3PO4) links with two hydroxyl groups (–OH) of two other molecules, forming two ester bonds. Two water molecules are released in this process. The phosphodiester bond is commonly found in nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) and plays a critical role in their structure and function.
Phosphodiester Bonds Link Nucleotides Together
DNA and RNA are polynucleotides or long chains of nucleotides that are linked together. A nucleotide is...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Dec 15, 2025

Self-Assembly of Gamma-Modified Peptide Nucleic Acids into Complex Nanostructures in Organic Solvent Mixtures

Self-Assembly of Gamma-Modified Peptide Nucleic Acids into Complex Nanostructures in Organic Solvent Mixtures

Published on: June 26, 2020

DNA-analogous structures from deoxynucleophosphates and polylysine by ionic self-assembly.

Byram H Ozer¹, Bernd Smarsly¹, Markus Antonietti¹

¹Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Research Campus Golm, 14424, Potsdam, Germany.

|July 11, 2020

Summary

Researchers created stable, DNA-like molecular structures using biological building blocks. This ionic self-assembly method forms ordered complexes, offering new possibilities in molecular science.

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Area of Science:

Molecular Biology
Supramolecular Chemistry
Biomaterials Science

Background:

Synthesizing stable, ordered molecular structures is crucial for advancing nanotechnology and materials science.
Biological molecules like nucleotides and polypeptides offer potential as building blocks for complex architectures.
Existing methods for creating such structures can be complex or require harsh conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

To demonstrate the feasibility of using ionic self-assembly for creating stable, highly ordered molecular structures from biological tectons.
To investigate the formation of DNA-analogous complexes using nucleotides and charged polypeptides.
To characterize the structural properties and stability of the self-assembled complexes.

Main Methods:

Ionic self-assembly of nucleotides (dGMP) and charged polypeptides (polylysine).
Structural analysis using techniques such as gel electrophoresis.
Assessment of DNA-like organization through intercalation experiments.

Main Results:

Successfully synthesized stable and highly ordered molecular structures via ionic self-assembly.
Formed a fourfold ladder structure with an interior G-quartet, stabilized by polypeptide scaffolds.
Achieved double-stranded complexes utilizing Watson-Crick G:C base pairing, exhibiting DNA-like organization in aqueous solutions.

Conclusions:

Ionic self-assembly of simple biological tectons provides a versatile route to complex molecular architectures.
The synthesized complexes mimic DNA organization, demonstrating potential for novel biomaterials and molecular devices.
This approach offers a pathway to creating sophisticated nanostructures under relatively benign conditions.