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Essential Concepts and Techniques in Molecular Biology

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The Molecular Basis of Human Cancer

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Abstract

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA) are macromolecules that convey genetic information. Both DNA and RNA are made up of nucleotides, molecules that in turn are composed of a nitrogenous base, a sugar, and one or more phosphate groups. There are five nitrogenous bases found in nucleic acids: adenine, guanine, cytosine, thymine, and uracil. Adenine, guanine, and cytosine are found in both DNA and RNA; thymine is found only in DNA and uracil is found only in RNA. A second difference between DNA and RNA is the sugars that are incorporated into the nucleotides. The sugar in the nucleotides of DNA is deoxyribose, RNA nucleotides contain ribose. Finally, DNA molecules are double-stranded, while RNA molecules are usually single-stranded.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, One Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, NH, 03756, USA

    Claudine L. Lefferts Ph.D. & Joel A. Lefferts Ph.D.

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  1. Claudine L. Lefferts Ph.D.
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  2. Joel A. Lefferts Ph.D.
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Correspondence to Joel A. Lefferts Ph.D. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Curriculum in Toxicology, UNC Program in Translational Medicine, UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Center, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA

    William B. Coleman

  2. Laboratory for Clinical Genomics and Advanced Technology (CGAT), Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA

    Gregory J. Tsongalis

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Lefferts, C.L., Lefferts, J.A. (2017). Essential Concepts and Techniques in Molecular Biology. In: Coleman, W., Tsongalis, G. (eds) The Molecular Basis of Human Cancer. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59745-458-2_2

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