Textbook Question
DNA polymerase III is the main DNA-synthesizing enzyme in bacteria. Describe how it carries out its role of elongating a strand of DNA.
Ch. 7 - DNA Structure and Replication
Sanders3rd EditionGenetic Analysis: An Integrated ApproachISBN: 9780135564172
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Table of contents
- Ch. 1 - The Molecular Basis of Heredity, Variation, and Evolution64
- Ch. 2 - Transmission Genetics144
- Ch. 3 - Cell Division and Chromosome Heredity81
- Ch. 4 - Gene Interaction87
- Ch. 5 - Genetic Linkage and Mapping in Eukaryotes103
- Ch. 6 - Genetic Analysis and Mapping in Bacteria and Bacteriophages73
- Ch. 7 - DNA Structure and Replication71
- Ch. 8 - Molecular Biology of Transcription and RNA Processing79
- Ch. 9 - The Molecular Biology of Translation110
- Ch. 10 - Eukaryotic Chromosome Abnormalities and Molecular Organization100
- Ch. 11 - Gene Mutation, DNA Repair, and Homologous Recombination86
- Ch. 12 - Regulation of Gene Expression in Bacteria and Bacteriophage90
- Ch. 13 - Regulation of Gene Expression in Eukaryotes38
- Ch. 14 - Analysis of Gene Function via Forward Genetics and Reverse Genetics72
- Ch. 15 - Recombinant DNA Technology and Its Applications69
- Ch. 16 - Genomics: Genetics from a Whole-Genome Perspective49
- Ch. 17 - Organelle Inheritance and the Evolution of Organelle Genomes27
- Ch. 18 - Developmental Genetics43
- Ch. 19 - Genetic Analysis of Quantitative Traits66
- Ch. 20 - Population Genetics and Evolution at the Population, Species, and Molecular Levels105
Sanders3rd EditionGenetic Analysis: An Integrated ApproachISBN: 9780135564172Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 7, Problem 9b
Consider the sequence 3'-ACGCTACGTC-5'.
What is the total number of covalent bonds joining the nucleotides in each strand?
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Identify the number of nucleotides in the given sequence. The sequence provided is 3'-ACGCTACGTC-5', which contains 10 nucleotides.
Understand that each nucleotide in a DNA strand is connected to the next nucleotide by a phosphodiester bond. These bonds form between the 3' hydroxyl group of one nucleotide and the 5' phosphate group of the next nucleotide.
Calculate the number of phosphodiester bonds in the strand. Since there are 10 nucleotides, the number of phosphodiester bonds will be one less than the number of nucleotides, which is 10 - 1 = 9.
Account for the covalent bonds within each nucleotide. Each nucleotide consists of a sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base, all of which are connected by covalent bonds. There are 3 covalent bonds within each nucleotide.
Combine the total number of covalent bonds. Add the covalent bonds within the nucleotides (10 nucleotides × 3 covalent bonds each) to the phosphodiester bonds (9), resulting in the total number of covalent bonds in the strand.
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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Covalent Bonds in Nucleotides
Covalent bonds in nucleotides are formed between the phosphate group of one nucleotide and the sugar of the next nucleotide in a DNA or RNA strand. Each nucleotide is linked to its neighbor through a phosphodiester bond, which is a type of covalent bond. This linkage creates the backbone of the nucleic acid strand, providing structural integrity.
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DNA Structure
Nucleotide Structure
A nucleotide consists of three components: a phosphate group, a five-carbon sugar (deoxyribose in DNA and ribose in RNA), and a nitrogenous base. The sequence of these nucleotides encodes genetic information. Understanding the structure of nucleotides is essential for determining how many covalent bonds are present in a given sequence.
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Counting Covalent Bonds
To determine the total number of covalent bonds in a nucleic acid strand, one must count the number of nucleotides and recognize that each bond connects adjacent nucleotides. For a strand of 'n' nucleotides, there are 'n-1' covalent bonds, as the first nucleotide does not have a preceding bond. This counting method is crucial for accurately answering questions about nucleic acid structures.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question
The following figure (Figure 1.6) presents simplified depictions of nucleotides containing deoxyribose, a nucleotide base, and a phosphate group. Use this simplified method of representation to illustrate the sequence 3'-AGTCGAT-5' and its complementary partner in a DNA duplex.
How many hydrogen bonds are present in this DNA duplex?
Textbook Question
There is a problem completing the replication of linear chromosomes at their ends. Describe the problem and identify why telomeres shorten in each replication cycle.
Textbook Question
Consider the sequence 3'-ACGCTACGTC-5'.
What is the double-stranded sequence?
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Textbook Question
Consider the sequence 3'-ACGCTACGTC-5'.
What is the total number of noncovalent bonds joining the nucleotides of the complementary strands?
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Textbook Question
The following figure (Figure 1.6) presents simplified depictions of nucleotides containing deoxyribose, a nucleotide base, and a phosphate group. Use this simplified method of representation to illustrate the sequence 3'-AGTCGAT-5' and its complementary partner in a DNA duplex.
How many phosphodiester bonds are present in this DNA duplex?