Definition of Nucleic Acid



Nucleic acid is a chemical compound that is found naturally and it is composed of three subunits i.e. a nitrogenous base, a ribose sugar, and a phosphate group. The nitrogenous bases are divided into two classes, purines, and pyrimidines. The purines are double-ringed whereas the pyrimidines are composed of only one ring.

 


The nucleic acids are responsible for carrying the information of the cell and they direct the process of protein formation. Hence, the inherited characteristics of living organisms are determined by these nucleic acids. There are 2 classes of nucleic acids i.e. DNA and RNA.


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