Draw the structures of adenine and uracil (which replaces thymine in RNA), and show the hydrogen bonding that occurs between them.

Verified step by step guidance

1. Start by drawing the structure of adenine, which is a purine base. Adenine consists of a two-ring structure: a six-membered ring fused to a five-membered ring. The six-membered ring contains four carbon atoms and two nitrogen atoms, while the five-membered ring contains three carbon atoms and two nitrogen atoms.
2. Next, draw the structure of uracil, which is a pyrimidine base. Uracil has a single six-membered ring containing four carbon atoms and two nitrogen atoms. It also has two carbonyl groups (C=O) at positions 2 and 4, and a nitrogen-hydrogen (N-H) group at position 3.
3. Identify the potential hydrogen bond donors and acceptors in both adenine and uracil. In adenine, the N-H groups can act as hydrogen bond donors, and the nitrogen atoms with lone pairs can act as hydrogen bond acceptors. In uracil, the carbonyl oxygen atoms can act as hydrogen bond acceptors, and the N-H group can act as a hydrogen bond donor.
4. Illustrate the hydrogen bonding between adenine and uracil. Typically, adenine forms two hydrogen bonds with uracil. One hydrogen bond forms between the N-H group of adenine and the carbonyl oxygen of uracil, and another hydrogen bond forms between the N-H group of uracil and a nitrogen atom in adenine.
5. Finally, label the hydrogen bonds clearly in your drawing to show the interaction between adenine and uracil. Ensure that the hydrogen bonds are represented as dashed lines to distinguish them from covalent bonds.

Key Concepts

Nucleotide Structure

Nucleotides are the building blocks of nucleic acids like DNA and RNA. Each nucleotide consists of a nitrogenous base (adenine, thymine, uracil, or cytosine), a sugar molecule (ribose in RNA and deoxyribose in DNA), and a phosphate group. Understanding the structure of adenine and uracil is essential for grasping how they function in RNA.

Hydrogen Bonding

Hydrogen bonding is a type of weak chemical bond that occurs when a hydrogen atom covalently bonded to an electronegative atom, like nitrogen or oxygen, experiences an attraction to another electronegative atom. In the context of RNA, adenine and uracil form two hydrogen bonds with each other, which is crucial for the stability of RNA structures and their function in protein synthesis.

Base Pairing Rules

Base pairing rules dictate how nitrogenous bases pair with each other in nucleic acids. In RNA, adenine pairs with uracil instead of thymine, which is found in DNA. This specific pairing is vital for the accurate transcription and translation of genetic information, ensuring that the correct amino acids are assembled during protein synthesis.