Phosphate backbone: Difference between revisions
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= The Phosphate backbone = | = The Phosphate backbone = | ||
A phosphate backbone is the fixed, structural feature from which nucleic acids protrude in DNA and RNA<ref> | A phosphate backbone is the fixed, structural feature from which nucleic acids protrude in DNA and RNA<ref name="null">Berg.J, Tymoczko.J,Styer.L (2012)Biochemistry, 7th edition, New York: W.H. Freemann (Page 4)</ref>. This is formed by the repeating sequence of a phosphate group and deoxyribose, connected in sequence by phosphodiester bonds. The phosphate group always sticks out of the double helix of DNA due to the arrangement of the bases within the helix, and because phosphate groups are found throughout the entire DNA molecule, sticking outside the helix, it is referred to as a 'phosphate backbone' (imagine the bones that protude through the skin along your spine). | ||
The sugar-phospate backbone determins the directionality of the molecule, the sugar being at the 3' end and the phosphate at the 5' end of each nulceotide. | The sugar-phospate backbone determins the directionality of the molecule, the sugar being at the 3' end and the phosphate at the 5' end of each nulceotide.<ref>Vikram Savkar, Phosphate Backbone, Nature Education, [Online] Available:http://www.nature.com/scitable/definition/phosphate-backbone-273</ref> | ||
=== References === | === References === | ||
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Revision as of 15:43, 30 November 2012
The Phosphate backbone
A phosphate backbone is the fixed, structural feature from which nucleic acids protrude in DNA and RNA[1]. This is formed by the repeating sequence of a phosphate group and deoxyribose, connected in sequence by phosphodiester bonds. The phosphate group always sticks out of the double helix of DNA due to the arrangement of the bases within the helix, and because phosphate groups are found throughout the entire DNA molecule, sticking outside the helix, it is referred to as a 'phosphate backbone' (imagine the bones that protude through the skin along your spine).
The sugar-phospate backbone determins the directionality of the molecule, the sugar being at the 3' end and the phosphate at the 5' end of each nulceotide.[2]
References
- ↑ Berg.J, Tymoczko.J,Styer.L (2012)Biochemistry, 7th edition, New York: W.H. Freemann (Page 4)
- ↑ Vikram Savkar, Phosphate Backbone, Nature Education, [Online] Available:http://www.nature.com/scitable/definition/phosphate-backbone-273