The primary structure of nucleic acids refers to the sequence of nucleotides in the chain, while the secondary structure, proposed by Watson and Crick, reveals a double-strand helix structure for DNA with complementary base pairs held by hydrogen bonds.
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The primary structure of nucleic acids refers to the linear sequence of nucleotides linked by phosphodiester bonds. In DNA, nucleotides contain adenine (A), thymine (T), cytosine (C), and guanine (G). In RNA, thymine is replaced by uracil (U). The secondary structure involves the folding of the linear chain into specific patterns, with DNA forming a double helix due to complementary base pairing (A-T, G-C). In RNA, secondary structures like hairpin loops and stem-loop structures occur. Hydrogen bonds stabilize these structures, crucial for the storage and transmission of genetic information in living organisms.