What is nucleic acid ?

Explanation

Nucleic acids are biomolecules which are found in the nuclei of all living cells in form of nucleoproteins or chromosomes (proteins containing nucleic acids as the prosthetic group). Nucleic acids are polynucleotides in which nucleotides are joined together by phosphodiester linkage between 5. and 3. carbon atoms of pentose sugar.
Nucleic acids are of two types, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and fibonucleic acid (RNA). The two main functions of nucleic acids are as follows: (i) DNA is responsible for transimission of hereditary effects from one generation to another. This is due to the unique property of replication, during cell division when two indetical DNA strands are transferred to the daughter cells.
(ii) DNA and RNA are responsible for synthesis of all proteins needed for the growth and maintenance of our body. Actually the proteins are synthesized by various RNA molecules (r-RNA, m-RNA and t-RNA) in the cell but the message for the synthesis of a particular protein is present in DNA.