Back to the Ends: Chromosomal DNA

ABSTRACT

Nucleic scids transfer the genetic information for serving a central biological purpose. The nucleic acids are polymers of nucleotides and they are mainly ribonucleic acid(RNA) and deoxyribonucleic acid(DNA). The nucleotides are stoichiometrically composed of five-carbon sugars, nitrogeneous bases, and phosphoric acids. The chemistry of nucleic acids and characteristics of different genomes are decribed for further study. Most of DNA genomes tend to be circular including bacterial genomes and eukaryotic mitochondrial DNA. Eukaryotic chromosomes in cells, in contrast, are generally linear. The ends of linear chromosomes are called telomeres. The genomes of different species, such as mammals, plants, invertebrates can be compared with the chromosome ends. The telomeric complex allows cells to distinguish the random DNA breaks and natural chromosomal ends. The very ends of chromosomes cannot be replicated by any ordinary mechanisms. The shortening of telomeric DNA templates in semiconservative replication is occurred with each cell division. The short telomere length is critically related to aging, tumors and dieases.