What is Nucleic acid?
'''Nucleic acids''' are [[macromolecule|large molecules]] where genetic information is stored. There are two types of nucleic acids: [[DNA|deoxyribonucleic acid]], better known as '''DNA''' and [[ribonucleic acid]], better known as '''RNA'''. The nucleic acids are made of [[nucleotide]]s. A nucleotide is made of a nitrogenous base, [[monosaccharide|sugar]] with five carbon atoms and a [[phosphate| phosphate group]]. Nucleic acids allow organisms to transfer genetic information from one generation to the next. When a cell divides, its DNA is copied and passed from one cell generation to the next generation. DNA is organized into [[chromosomes]] and found within the [[nucleus]] of our cells. Its function in any cell is to carry the sequence of bases which will be [[transcription (genetics)|transcribed]] into RNA. The function of RNA is much more difficult to explain. One well-known function is for [[messenger RNA]] to be [[translation (genetics)|translated]] into [[proteins]], mainly [[enzymes]]. But there are other types of RNA, and these are called [[non-coding RNA]]s. {{biology-stub}} [[Category:Molecular biology]]