Viruses are particles that infect cells. In some viruses,...

Name: Problem 14, Chapter 4: Biological Science
Uploaded: 2020-07-02T15:51:30-08:00
Duration: 29 s
Channel: Chinwe Abaraoha
Description: Viruses are particles that infect cells. In some viruses, the genetic material consists of two strands of RNA, bonded together via complementary base pairing. Would these antiparallel strands form a double helix? Explain why or why not.

Viruses are particles that infect cells. In some viruses, the genetic material consists of two strands of RNA, bonded together via complementary base pairing. Would these antiparallel strands form a double helix? Explain why or why not.

Key Concepts

RNA Structural Characteristics

RNA molecules differ from DNA in that the ribose sugar has a hydroxyl group in the 2' position. This structural difference favors the formation of an A-form helix when RNA strands pair, which is more compact and has different geometric parameters compared to the B-form helix typically seen in DNA. The A-form helix is the result when two RNA strands align antiparallel and form hydrogen bonds through complementary base pairing.

Double Helix Structure

A double helix is the three-dimensional structure that results when two complementary strands twist around each other. This conformation allows for efficient packaging and stability of the genetic material, and it is stabilized by hydrogen bonds between paired bases as well as stacking interactions between adjacent bases.

Complementary Base Pairing

This concept refers to the specific hydrogen bonding between nucleotides—adenine pairs with uracil (or thymine in DNA) and cytosine pairs with guanine. It is crucial in stabilizing the structure of the nucleic acid by ensuring that two strands can align and hold together through these predictable pairs.

Antiparallel Orientation

Nucleic acid strands run in opposite directions, meaning one strand runs from the 5' to 3' end while its complementary strand runs from 3' to 5'. This antiparallel arrangement is essential for the proper alignment of complementary bases, allowing the formation of stable, hydrogen-bonded interactions between the strands.

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