Specificity – each enzyme only affects one specific substrate. …one key fits one lock. Efficiency – under optimal conditions, enzyme catalyze rxns up to 10 billion times faster than without a catalyst. Control : determined by the cells environment
4. Nucleic Acids
Nucleic acids are very large molecules consisting of Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen and Phosphorus . They store & transmit genetic material. Nucleotides – the building blocks of nucleic acids. They also carry energy and form coenzymes Nucleotides consist of 3 parts: 1. Nitrogenous Base – a carbon-nitrogen ring either called a pyrimidine (C, T, U) or purine (A & G)
2. A Pentose Sugar – 5 carbon sugar
3. A Phosphate Group – PO4
Different nucleotides are made up of different bases, sugars and phosphates. There are 2 varieties:
DNA : Deoxyribonucleic Acid, the inherited genetic material inside a cell.
1. Bases: adenine, guanine, cytosine & thyamine 2. Sugar: Deoxyribose 3. Phosphate group
RNA : Ribonucleic Acid relays instructions from the genes to guide the cell’s assembly of AA into proteins.
1. Bases: adenine, guanine, cytosine & uracil 2. Sugar: Ribose 3. Phosphate group
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