Get a Glimpse of What the Nucleic Acid Metabolism is all About
For an understanding of biological process like growth, inheritance and metabolism, you have to study about the molecules that have a say in each process. The metabolism of nucleic acid and the molecules involved in the process are explained in this article.
The process in which nucleotides are synthesized and degraded is called nucleic acid metabolism. Nucleotides, the chemical compounds, have sugar, heterocyclic base and phosphate clusters. These are the things that connect nucleus acids which bind other nucleotides to create nucleic acid. So these are called “binders”.
Nucleic acid, a complex macro molecule, contains nucleotide chains to give genetic information {DNA and RNA}. Nucleic acids are found in all viruses and on living cells.
Nucleotides have a major role in metabolism and production of energy with in the cells. They are also significant in nucleic acid metabolism as they are the integral structure of DNA{deoxyribonucleic acid} and RNA {ribonucleic acid} which are the two most common types of nucleic acid. Living beings genetic information is carried by DNA and RNA is the messenger taking part in the synthesis of proteins.
Nucleic Acid Metabolism- Two processes
The two processes of nucleic acid metabolism have opposite goals, The first process is anabolic{building large molecules from smaller ones} method containing a chemical reaction from pentose sugar, phosphate and nitrogen base. This mechanism is this process, leads to the “building up” of organs and tissues.
The other process of nucleic acid metabolism concentrates on the demolition of nucleic acid through enzyme reaction. This is contrary to the synthesis of nucleic acid. This catabolic process breaks down large molecules into smaller ones.
So this catabolic aspect of metabolism can be termed as “destructive” but it is a part and parcel of cell metabolism. For instance, proteins in the muscles are cracked down for use by the body, on using these amino acids for glucose converted in to body fuel. Fats also are broken in to Fatty acids in this catabolic process.
These two process do not take place in the body at the same time as they obstruct each other in their goals. A few signals are given by the anabolic process, simultaneously starting the catabolic process and vice versa. These signals are hormones and molecules taking part in the metabolism of nucleic acid and other things.