an enormous molecule made of repeating units called nucleotides. In the nucleus, DNA is always a double molecule. Each DNA has a backbone of phosphate and sugar molecules with projecting nitrogen bases.
Nitrogen Bases
a basic part of DNA and RNA. there are four nitrogen bases present in DNA: adenine, thymine, guanine and cytosine. The same four are in RNA with thymine being substituted by uracil.
Nucleotide
the basic unit of the nucleic acid molecule composed of a phosphate group, a five carbon sugar and a nitrogen base.
Protein
a large molecule made up of hundreds of aminoacids.
RNA
a molecule made of nucleotides. There are three classes of RNA: Messenger RNA (mRNA), transfer RNA (tRNA), and ribosomal RNA (rRNA)
The Central Dogma
DNA produces RNA which produces protein.
Transcription
the formation of mRNA from a strand of DNA in the nucleus.
Translation
the formation of protein at the ribosomes using the information on mRNA and amino acids attached to tRNA.