Nucleic acids and proteins are similar in their fundamental structural characteristics and the manner in which they perform different functions inside the cell. This article will focus on some of those major differences and similarities between the two forms of biomolecules and how they work together to carry and read genetic information inside a cell.
Nucleic acids and proteins are both polymer macromolecules that perform important functions in living cells, but what exactly are they? Let’s start by looking at how they are similar.
The Nucleic Acid And Proteins Are Similar In Several Ways
The nucleic acid and proteins are similar in several ways. First, they both have a primary structure or linear sequence of linked monomers. For the nucleic acids, these are called nucleotides.
For proteins, they are called amino acids. Second, there is a secondary structure for each type of molecule which results from hydrogen bonding between specific parts of the monomer sequences. This is more complex for proteins than for nucleic acids.
Third, there are tertiary structures for both types which are more complex folded shapes that result from hydrogen bonding between different portions of the molecules. Finally, there is a quaternary structure for proteins that results from chemical interactions between separate protein chains that make up a single protein molecule.
Essential Roles Of Proteins And Nucleic Acids
Most cells are 10-100 um in diameter. Inside each of them are various organelles. These are tiny, specialized structures that perform particular functions. There is the nucleus which contains DNA, and there are mitochondria which produce energy.
For our purposes, the important thing to note is that all of these structures are made of proteins and nucleic acids. These biomolecules make up the very essence of living things. They can be found in every living cell on earth. That doesn’t mean that some bacteria don’t live without nucleic acids or proteins, but it does mean that we wouldn’t exist without them.
Although proteins and nucleic acids have many similar properties, they also have many differences. For example, both have specific sequences of subunits (nucleotides for nucleic acids, amino acids for proteins), but a protein is much larger than a nucleic acid.
Nucleic acids usually contain hundreds of subunits while most proteins contain thousands. Nucleic acids are linear while most proteins have a tertiary structure that gives them their characteristic shape. Nucleic acids also encode genetic information while most proteins do not.
Why Are Proteins And Nucleic Acids Important
Both proteins and nucleic acids are made of long chains of amino acids, but proteins are significantly smaller than nucleic acids. Proteins are primarily composed of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen.
The main components of nucleic acids are carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, phosphorus and oxygen. Proteins play a part in the structure and function of all living cells. Nucleic acids perform many functions in living systems, including providing a way to store genetic information. Both proteins and nucleic acids are essential to life on Earth as we know it.
What Is Similar Between Nucleic Acid And Protein?
Nucleic acids and proteins have many similarities and differences. One of the major similarities is that both are polymers and are made up of monomers. In nucleic acids, the monomer is called a nucleotide, which consists of three parts: a sugar molecule (pentose sugar), a nitrogenous base, and a phosphate group.
The five-carbon sugar in DNA is 2-deoxyribose and the four-carbon sugar in RNA is ribose. In proteins, the monomers are amino acids which consist of an amino group, carboxyl group, hydrogen atom, side chain group (R group) and carbon atom at the center.
Another similarity between nucleic acids and proteins is that both are formed when their respective monomers link together to form polymers. Nucleotides join together through a phosphodiester bond to form DNA or RNA polymers; similarly amino acids join together through peptide bonds to form protein polymers. Nucleotides can also be joined by glycosidic bonds to form polysaccharides like cellulose or starch.
Arrangement Of Proteins In The Body
The arrangement of proteins in the body is similar to that of nucleic acids. The building blocks of proteins, amino acids, are linked together by peptide bonds to form a chain called a polypeptide.
This polypeptide is then folded into a tertiary structure with the help of hydrogen bonds and disulfide bridges. The primary structure is the sequence of amino acids, which can determine how the chain will fold up.
The secondary structure is due to hydrogen bonding between adjacent peptide bonds. Alpha helices and beta pleated sheets are stabilized in this way. The tertiary structure is due to interactions between some side chains, such as disulfide bridges or hydrophobic interactions. Finally, quaternary structure refers to interactions between subunits in multimeric proteins.
Last Words
Nucleic acids and proteins are similar because they serve a similar purpose. Remember that nucleic acid is the foundation of DNA, and proteins are the foundation of your body; without these building blocks, life couldn’t exist as we know it. There are also structural similarities between the two. Perhaps most importantly, nucleic acids and proteins actually share a key component: nitrogen-containing bases. Many different combinations of these bases can be used to create the information storage found in both DNA and protein.