
Nucleic acid | Definition, Function, Structure, & Types | Britannica
Dec 29, 2025 · The two main classes of nucleic acids are deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA). DNA is the master blueprint for life and constitutes the genetic material …
Nucleic acid - DNA, Genes, Molecules | Britannica
Dec 29, 2025 · Nucleic acid - DNA, Genes, Molecules: DNA is a polymer of the four nucleotides A, C, G, and T, which are joined through a backbone of alternating phosphate and …
Nucleic acid - Metabolism, Structure, Function | Britannica
Nov 24, 2025 · Nucleic acid - Metabolism, Structure, Function: Replication, repair, and recombination—the three main processes of DNA metabolism—are carried out by specialized …
nucleic acid summary | Britannica
nucleic acid, Any of the naturally occurring chemical compounds that are capable of being broken down to yield phosphoric acid, sugars, and a mixture of organic bases (purines and pyrimidines).
Nucleotide | Description, Types, Function, & Facts | Britannica
Dec 11, 2025 · For full treatment, see nucleic acids. In the two families of nucleic acids, RNA (ribonucleic acid) and DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), the sequence of nucleotides in the DNA or …
DNA | Definition, Discovery, Function, Bases, Facts, & Structure ...
Dec 11, 2025 · Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is an organic chemical that contains genetic information and instructions for protein synthesis. It is found in most cells of every organism.
Life - DNA, RNA, Protein | Britannica
Dec 13, 2025 · The specific carrier of the genetic information in all organisms is the nucleic acid known as DNA, short for deoxyribonucleic acid. DNA is a double helix, two molecular coils …
Nucleic acid - Methylation, DNA, RNA | Britannica
Dec 29, 2025 · RNA is made by copying the base sequence of a section of double-stranded DNA, called a gene, into a piece of single-stranded nucleic acid. This process, known as …
Friedrich Miescher | Biography & Facts | Britannica
The two main classes of nucleic acids are deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA). DNA is the master blueprint for life and constitutes the genetic material in all free-living …
Heredity - DNA Structure, Composition, Genetics | Britannica
Nov 6, 2025 · The groundwork was laid by pioneer biochemists who found that nucleic acids are long chainlike molecules, the backbones of which consist of repeated sequences of phosphate …