What are the forces and factors that stabilize nucleic acid structures?

The structure of the DNA helix is stabilized by van der Waals forces, hydrogen bonds between complementary organic bases (a base pair), and hydrophobic interactions between the nitrogenous bases and the surrounding sheath of water.

What makes a nucleotide stable?

There are 3 H bonds between Guanine and Cytosine and 2 between Adenine and Thymine. As well as this there are hydrogen bonds between the bases and surrounding water molecules, and this combined with the even stronger phosphodiester bonds in the sugar phosphate backbone make DNA very stable.

What holds nucleic acids together?

Nucleic acids consist of chains of small molecules called nucleotides, which are held together by covalent bonds. RNA is made of one nucleotide chain, and DNA is made of two. The two chains of DNA are held together by hydrogen bonds in the shape of a double helix.

What stabilizes the secondary structure of nucleic acids?

Secondary structure is the set of interactions between bases, i.e., which parts of strands are bound to each other. In DNA double helix, the two strands of DNA are held together by hydrogen bonds.

Which of the following provides stability to DNA?

Base pair stacking i.e., the individual bases form a strong stacking interaction thereby providing stability to the double helix. Hydrogen bonds between the nitrogenous bases.

Why does high salt stabilize DNA?

Cations present in the solution are important for the stability of two negative strands of DNA molecules. Experimental as well as theoretical results show that the DNA molecule is more stable as the concentration of salt (or cations) increases. These cations act as a shielding particles to the two like charge strands.

Which of the following gives stability to DNA?

(i) Presence of hydrogen bond in between base pair stacks confers stability to DNA. (ii) Presence of thymine at the place of uracil gives more stability to DNA.

How do you stabilize DNA?

The stability of the DNA double helix depends on a fine balance of interactions including hydrogen bonds between bases, hydrogen bonds between bases and surrounding water molecules, and base-stacking interactions between adjacent bases.

What is the building block of nucleic acids?

A nucleotide is the basic building block of nucleic acids. RNA and DNA are polymers made of long chains of nucleotides. A nucleotide consists of a sugar molecule (either ribose in RNA or deoxyribose in DNA) attached to a phosphate group and a nitrogen-containing base.

How do nucleotides combine to give nucleic acids?

Nucleotides are joined together to form nucleic acids through the phosphate group of one nucleotide connecting in an ester linkage to the OH group on the third carbon atom of the sugar unit of a second nucleotide. Two DNA strands link together in an antiparallel direction and are twisted to form a double helix.

What is responsible for the decreased stability of RNA compared to DNA?

What is responsible for the decreased stability of RNA compared to DNA? RNA is less resistant to cleavage because it has a hydroxyl group on the 2′ carbon. RNA’s secondary structure is less stable because it includes short regions of double helices and looped structures.

What dictates the primary structure of a nucleic acid?

The sequence of bases in the nucleic acid chain gives the primary structure of DNA or RNA. In a single‐stranded RNA or DNA, the intramolecular base pairs between complementary base pairs determines the secondary structure of the molecule.