Objectives

• Discuss how the primary structure of nucleic acids is the order of bases in the polynucleotide sequence, and the secondary structure is the three-dimensional conformation of the backbone.
• Discuss the monomers of nucleic acids are nucleotides.
• Discuss how the bases are bonded to the sugars, forming nucleosides.
• Summarize how nucleosides are linked by ester bonds to phosphoric acid to form the phosphodiester backbone.
• Specific proteins called single-strand binding proteins bind to the single-stranded regions and protect them from nucleases.
• Spontaneous mutation of bases and insertion of the wrong nucleotide would normally lead to an error every 104 to 105

Instructions:

Step 1: Read the article found in section 9A: Biochemical Connections: Law in your digital book.

Using the Concorde’s Online Library, your digital material, and other scholarly websites, discuss the following:

• What are your feelings regarding the article?
• Describe, in detail, what the following statement means, “What can be patented is purified DNA containing the sequence of the gene and techniques that allow the study of the genes.”
• How do you see the patenting of genes/DNA impacting science and medicine over the next 30 years?
• Do you believe this trend is ethical? Why/why not?

Step 2: Compile your thoughts & research and write a 3-5 page paper addressing the topics and questions above.

Step 3: Once complete, save your file and submit.

• You are required to have at least two outside resources, at the scholarly level. Wikipedia is not acceptable.

Attached as a PDF is the section of the book (Biochemistry 9th edition: 9781305961135).