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  1. Nucleic acid | Definition, Function, Structure, & Types | Britannica

    Nov 24, 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 in all free-living …

  2. Nucleic acid - DNA, Genes, Molecules | Britannica

    Nov 24, 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 deoxyribose sugar residues.

  3. 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 …

  4. 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). Nucleic …

  5. 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.

  6. 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 RNA …

  7. Virus | Definition, Structure, & Facts | Britannica

    Dec 17, 2025 · All true viruses contain nucleic acid —either DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) or RNA (ribonucleic acid)—and protein. The nucleic acid encodes the genetic information unique for each virus.

  8. Nucleic acid - Methylation, DNA, RNA | Britannica

    Nov 24, 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 transcription (see below …

  9. Life - DNA, RNA, Protein | Britannica

    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 wrapped around each other and …

  10. Nucleic acid - Recombination, DNA, RNA | Britannica

    Nov 24, 2025 · Once replication is complete, the most common kind of damage to nucleic acids is one in which the normal A, C, G, and T bases are changed into chemically modified bases that usually differ …