Multiple Choice
In the context of nucleic acids, ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is best classified as which type of biomolecule?
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1. Introduction to Biochemistry
Nucleic Acids
Multiple Choice
In nucleic acid synthesis, which enzyme catalyzes the formation of phosphodiester bonds to join nucleotides together into a growing DNA or RNA strand?
A
Helicase
B
Primase
C
DNA ligase
D
DNA polymerase (or RNA polymerase, depending on the template)
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand that nucleic acid synthesis involves joining nucleotides together to form a continuous strand of DNA or RNA.
Recognize that the key chemical bond formed between nucleotides is the phosphodiester bond, which links the 3' hydroxyl group of one nucleotide to the 5' phosphate group of the next.
Identify the enzyme responsible for catalyzing the formation of these phosphodiester bonds during strand elongation. This enzyme reads the template strand and adds complementary nucleotides to the growing chain.
Recall that DNA polymerase catalyzes this reaction during DNA replication, while RNA polymerase performs a similar function during transcription to synthesize RNA.
Differentiate this enzyme from others listed: Helicase unwinds DNA, Primase synthesizes RNA primers, and DNA ligase joins Okazaki fragments but does not catalyze nucleotide addition during strand elongation.
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