Nucleotides are the building blocks of DNA and RNA, and each nucleotide is composed of three parts: a nitrogenous base, a sugar molecule (ribose in RNA and deoxyribose in DNA), and a phosphate group. The nitrogenous bases in nucleotides are classified as either purines or pyrimidines. Purines include adenine (A) and guanine (G), while pyrimidines include cytosine (C), thymine (T) in DNA and uracil (U) in RNA.
Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, and each amino acid has an amino group (-NH2), a carboxyl group (-COOH), and a side chain or R-group that varies in structure and chemistry. There are 20 different amino acids commonly found in proteins. They can be classified as polar or nonpolar, acidic or basic, based on their chemical properties.
The chemical properties of nucleotides and amino acids are crucial for their function in biological systems. The specific base-pairing properties of nucleotides allow for the formation of the double helix structure of DNA, which is the basis for genetic information storage and transfer. The chemical properties of amino acids dictate the folding and three-dimensional structure of proteins, which in turn determines their function. The chemical properties of nucleotides and amino acids are therefore essential for understanding the molecular mechanisms of biological systems.