Lesson: Chapter 1 — The Chemical Basis of Life

1.4. Nucleic acids 4 of 5

Why nucleic acids matter

Without nucleic acids, no living thing could produce another like itself. Their importance falls into five parts.

1. Storing genetic information

The complete information about how to build an organism is written inside DNA.

2. Passing it from generation to generation

These molecules are how that information travels from parents to offspring. It is why a child resembles its parents.

3. Protein synthesis

Which amino acids are joined, and in what order, is decided by nucleic acids. Every protein you met in section 1.2 is built from these instructions.

4. Controlling the cell's life processes

The information that controls all the life processes taking place in a cell is contained in DNA.

5. Variation and evolution

Because a DNA molecule can undergo mutations, variations arise among living things. Evolution proceeds through those variations.

Extra knowledge — RNA as genetic material

In most living things DNA stores the information. But some viruses use RNA to store their genetic information instead.