News tagged with nucleic acids

WSU astrobiologist proposes fleet of probes to seek life on Mars

A Washington State University astrobiologist is leading a group of 20 scientists in calling for a mission to Mars with "a strong and comprehensive life detection component." At the heart of their proposal ...

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Apr 23, 2012 | popularity 5 / 5 (2) | comments 6 | with audio podcast

Researchers uncover new mechanistic insight into mRNA biogenesis and export

A team of EU-funded Spanish and Polish researchers have revealed the structure of a protein complex that is essential for messenger RNA (mRNA) biogenesis and export. Writing in the European Molecular Biology ...

Biology / Biotechnology

created Mar 19, 2012 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

New microfluidic chip can generate microbubbles to break open cells for biochemical analysis

Scientists have made many important discoveries in biology and medicine through studying the internal contents of cells. Some have isolated or identified nucleic acids or proteins with special functions, while ...

Chemistry / Analytical Chemistry

created Mar 15, 2012 | popularity 5 / 5 (2) | comments 0

Scientists learn how to 'out run damage' with imaging technique

Over the decades X-ray crystallography has been fundamental in the development of many scientific fields. The method has revealed the structure and function of many biological molecules, including vitamins, drugs, proteins ...

Physics / General Physics

created Feb 21, 2012 | popularity 5 / 5 (2) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

New RNA-based therapeutic strategies for controlling gene expression

Small RNA-based nucleic acid drugs represent a promising new class of therapeutic agents for silencing abnormal or overactive disease-causing genes, and researchers have discovered new mechanisms by which ...

Biology / Biotechnology

created Feb 02, 2012 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Scientists identify novel approach to view inner workings of viruses

Since the discovery of the microscope, scientists have tried to visualize smaller and smaller structures to provide insights into the inner workings of human cells, bacteria and viruses. Now, researchers at the National Institute ...

Biology / Cell & Microbiology

created Jan 12, 2012 | popularity 4 / 5 (5) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Backing out of the nanotunnel: New method for nucleic acid analysis

Nanopores provide a versatile tool for probing molecular structures. A new German study shows that one can obtain more detailed information about the dynamic behavior of nucleic acids during passage through nanopores by directing ...

Chemistry / Biochemistry

created Jan 10, 2012 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Simpler times: Did an earlier genetic molecule predate DNA and RNA?

(PhysOrg.com) -- In the chemistry of the living world, a pair of nucleic acids—DNA and RNA—reign supreme. As carrier molecules of the genetic code, they provide all organisms with a mechanism for ...

Chemistry / Biochemistry

created Jan 09, 2012 | popularity 4.8 / 5 (28) | comments 117 | with audio podcast

Researchers identify lipid profile characteristic of newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes

(PhysOrg.com) -- A journal article showcasing results of lipidomics analyses for identifying novel biomarkers of diabetes conducted at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory was selected as "Editor's Choice" ...

Chemistry / Biochemistry

created Dec 30, 2011 | popularity 4 / 5 (2) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

New research links common RNA modification to obesity

An international research team has discovered that a pervasive human RNA modification provides the physiological underpinning of the genetic regulatory process that contributes to obesity and type II diabetes.

Chemistry / Biochemistry

created Oct 17, 2011 | popularity 3 / 5 (3) | comments 0

Student brings home new expertise to answer question in antibiotic resistance

Working out the structure of a complex formed when a protein binds to DNA has proved to be key in understanding how an antibiotic-producing organism controls resistance to its own antibiotic, and may be an ...

Chemistry / Biochemistry

created Aug 10, 2011 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

Biology, materials science get a boost from robust imaging tool

Shape and alignment are everything. How nanometer-sized pieces fit together into a whole structure determines how well a living cell or an artificially fabricated device performs. A new method to help understand ...

Nanotechnology / Bio & Medicine

created Aug 08, 2011 | popularity 5 / 5 (2) | comments 1

New imaging techniques reveal the workings of supramolecular nanomachines

Supramolecules comprising many kinds of proteins and nucleic acids are present in all living organisms. Often with precise structures and a variety of parts, these supramolecules exhibit complex movements ...

Chemistry / Analytical Chemistry

created Jul 25, 2011 | popularity 5 / 5 (2) | comments 0

New curation tool a boon for genetic biologists

With the BeeSpace Navigator, University of Illinois researchers have created both a curation tool for genetic biologists and a new approach to searching for information.

Biology / Biotechnology

created Jun 21, 2011 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Biochemist David Deamer explores how life began in new book, 'First Life'

David Deamer began studying the origin of life in the early 1980s, and his research over the past 30 years has had a major influence on scientific understanding of how life on Earth got started. In his new book, First Life ...

Chemistry / Biochemistry

created Jun 02, 2011 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Nucleic acid

A nucleic acid is a macromolecule composed of chains of monomeric nucleotides. In biochemistry these molecules carry genetic information or form structures within cells. The most common nucleic acids are deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA). Nucleic acids are universal in living things, as they are found in all cells and viruses. Nucleic acids were first discovered by Friedrich Miescher in 1871.

Artificial nucleic acids include peptide nucleic acid (PNA), Morpholino and locked nucleic acid (LNA), as well as glycol nucleic acid (GNA) and threose nucleic acid (TNA). Each of these is distinguished from naturally-occurring DNA or RNA by changes to the backbone of the molecule.

For more information about Nucleic acid, read the full article at Wikipedia.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.

Related topics: rna