Nucleic Acids

{
  "id": "MLC-T-ENV-019187",
  "term": "Nucleic Acids",
  "field": "Environment",
  "definition": "1. Any of a group of complex compounds found in all organisms, composed of purines, pyrimidines, carbohydrates, and phosphoric acid. Nucleic acids in the form of DNA and RNA control cellular function and heredity.\n\n2. A large molecule composed of nucleotide subunits. [NIH Genetics Home Reference Glossary]Ribosides or deoxyribosides of adenine, thymine, guanine, cytosine, and uracil; polymers of the deoxyribose-5′-monophosphates of thymine, cytosine, guanine, and adenine linked by successive 3′-5′ phosphodiester bonds (also known as deoxyribonucleic acid); and polymers of the ribose-5′-monophosphates of uracil, cytosine, guanine, and adenine linked by successive 3′-5′ phosphodiester bonds (also known as ribonucleic acid). The term does not apply to nucleic acid analogues (e.g., dideoxycytidine), or polymers containing nucleic acid analogues.\n\n3. Any of various acids (as an RNA or a DNA) composed of nucleotide chains.\n\n4. Nucleic acid is an important class of macromolecules found in all cells and viruses. The functions of nucleic acids have to do with the storage and expression of genetic information. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) encodes the information the cell needs to make proteins. A related type of nucleic acid, called ribonucleic acid (RNA), comes in different molecular forms that participate in protein synthesis.\n\n5. Ribosides or deoxyribosides of adenine, thymine, guanine, cytosine, and uracil; polymers of the deoxyribose-5′-monophosphates of thymine, cytosine, guanine, and adenine linked by successive 3′-5′ phosphodiester bonds (also known as deoxyribonucleic acid); and polymers of the ribose-5′-monophosphates of uracil, cytosine, guanine, and adenine linked by successive 3′-5′ phosphodiester bonds (also known as ribonucleic acid). The term does not apply to nucleic acid analogues (e.g., dideoxycytidine), or polymers containing nucleic acid analogues.",
  "references": [
    "EPA Quality Assurance/Quality Control Guidance for Laboratories Performing PCR Analyses on Environmental Samples Glossary at http://www.epa.gov/nerlcwww/qa_qc_pcr10_04.pdf",
    "40 CFR 174.3 (CFR 2013)",
    "NIH Genetics Home Reference Glossary"
  ],
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/environment/nucleic-acids/"
}