Biochemistry : Identification by Structure
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for Biochemistry
All Biochemistry Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #13 : Identifying Specific Nucleic Acid Structures
Identify the given nucleotide, nucleoside or nitrogenous base.
Adenine
Adenosine
Guanine
Purine
Guanosine
Guanine
This nitrogenous base is guanine. Although it has a purine ring system, purine is not its specific name. If the guanine were bound to a sugar, it would be called guanosine.
Example Question #14 : Identifying Specific Nucleic Acid Structures
Identify the given nucleotide, nucleoside or nitrogenous base.
Cytosine
Pyrimidine
Thymidine
Uracil
Thymine
Thymine
This nitrogenous base is thymine. Although it has a pyrimidine ring system, pyrimidine is not its specific name. If the thymine were bound to a sugar, it would be called thymidine.
Example Question #15 : Identifying Specific Nucleic Acid Structures
Which of the following nitrogenous bases is found exclusively in DNA?
Thymine is the nitrogenous base that is only found in DNA. All of the other bases can be found in both DNA and RNA.
Example Question #16 : Identifying Specific Nucleic Acid Structures
Describe the bond indicated by the box in the given figure.
3',5' phosphodiester bond
5',3' phosphodiester bond
5',3' phosphoester bond
3',5' phosphoester bond
3',5' phosphate bond
3',5' phosphodiester bond
The 3',5' phosphodiester bond describes the way the bond occurs. The oxygen in the 3' hydroxyl group in the nucleotide on the top bonds to the phosphorus of the 5' phosphate group of the nucleotide on the bottom. The bond consists of a
carbon-oxygen-phosphorus-oxygen-carbon direct linkage. Carbon-oxygen-phosphorous and posphorous-oxygen-carbon are two separate esters, hence the "diester" part of the name.
Example Question #17 : Identifying Specific Nucleic Acid Structures
Identify the given nucleotide, nucleoside or nitrogenous base.
Adenine-5-triphosphate
Adenosine-5-phosphate
Adenosine triphosphate
Adenosine-5-triphosphate
Adenine triphosphate
Adenosine-5-triphosphate
This nucleotide is adenosine-5-triphosphate, also known as ATP. When the nitrogenous base adenine is bound to a sugar, it becomes a nucleoside called adenosine. The carbon in the ribose at the site of the glycosidic bond is referred to as the 1' carbon. If we count clockwise, we will see that the phosphates are bound at the 5' carbon. Because there are three phosphate groups bound, the nomenclature must be 5-triphosphate.
Example Question #16 : Identifying Specific Nucleic Acid Structures
Identify the given nucleotide, nucleoside or nitrogenous base.
Cytidine
Deoxycytidine
Adenosine
Cytosine
Uridine
Cytidine
This nucleoside is cytidine. If the base were not bound to the sugar, this would be cytosine. If the 2' hydroxyl group were missing, this structure would be deoxycytidine. (The 2' hydroxyl is the 
Example Question #17 : Identifying Specific Nucleic Acid Structures
Which of the following composes nucleotides?
Purines, pyrimidines, pentose, nucleotide base
Ribose, nitrogenous base, phosphate
Pentose, nitrogenous base, phosphate
Nitrogenous base, phosphate, glucose
Phosphate, nitrogenous base, fructose
Pentose, nitrogenous base, phosphate
Nucleotides are formed by a pentose sugar (either ribose or deoxyribose), a nitrogenous base (adenine, cytosine, guanine, thymine, or uracil), and one or more phosphate groups. Polymers of nucleotides are known as nucleic acids (DNA and RNA).
Example Question #18 : Identifying Specific Nucleic Acid Structures
Which of the following nucleic acid bases is not in the right category?
Uracil - purine
Guanine - purine
Adenine - purine
Cytosine - pyrimidine
Thymine - pyrimidine
Uracil - purine
The pyrimidines, which contain a single six-membered ring, are uracil, cytosine, and thymine. The purines, which contain a six-membered ring and a five-membered ring, are adenine and guanine. A mnemonic to help you remember these two groups is that pyrimidines, like pyramids are sharp - and sharp things CUT (cytosine, uracil, thymine).
Example Question #81 : Identification By Structure
Which of the following nucleotides are purines?
Cytosine and adenine
Adenine and cytosine
Adenine and guanine
Thymine and guanine
Cytosine and thymine
Adenine and guanine
Adenine and guanine are purines, while cytosine and thymine are pyrimidines. A helpful mnemonic for this is Pure (purine) As (adenine) Gold (guanine). Note that uracil is a pyrimidine, but is only seen in RNA.
Example Question #22 : Identifying Specific Nucleic Acid Structures
In the eukaryotic ribosome, the sedimentation coefficient for the small subunit is __________ and large subunit is __________.
35S . . . 70S
40S . . . 60S
60S . . . 80S
40S . . . 70S
20S . . . 60S
40S . . . 60S
The 80S eukaryotic ribosome is made up of 40S and 60S subunits.
Certified Tutor
Certified Tutor
All Biochemistry Resources
