Page 216 - The Manga Guide to Biochemistry
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1. What Is Nucleic Acid? We looked at the nucleus
of a cell earlier (see
Nucleic Acid Basics Chapter 1), with a little
help from RoboCat.
We've already talked about certain We called it a "DNA
biochemical substances, like proteins, warehouse."
lipids, and saccharides, but there's one
more important substance that we haven't
covered yet—nucleic acids.
As you might guess from
the name, nucleic acids
are acidic substances
found in the nucleus
of a cell.
Yeah! It's big,
round, and seems
really important.
Perfect for our
last lesson!
In short, nucleic Nucleic Ah, I know this! DNA
acids are the acid is the language of
genetic material genes, right?
of a cell, or
That's right, but
the substances DNA isn't totally
that store the made up of genes,
information you know.
known as genes.
That's true. Genes are a Proteins are created based
part of DNA—the part that on the information encoded
in the sequence of nucleic
acts as the blueprints acids (how they are lined up
for proteins.
along the dNA).*
Gene Gene
202 Chapter 5
* genes also contain the "blueprints" for RNA.
