Question

Which of the following statements about nucleotides/polynucleotides and amino acids/polypeptides is false?

a. There are fewer varieties of nucleotide monomers than amino acid monomers.

b. All nucleotide monomers have an electric charge, amino acids are all electrically neutral.

c. The next/incoming nucleotide is added to the 2’ hydroxyl group of the pentose sugar, the next amino acid is added to the hydroxyl portion of a carboxylic acid group.

d. Polynucleotides are built in the 5’ to 3’ orientation; polypeptides are built in the amino to carboxy orientation/direction.

e. There is more than one correct answer to this question.

Please explain which ones are false.

Answer 1

e. There is more than one correct answer to this question.

b. All nucleotide monomers have an electric charge, amino acids are all electrically neutral.

Phosphate groups connecting nucleotides are charged but nitrogenous bases or sugar are not charged, Similarly, many amino acids are positively charged such as lysine, histidine and some are negatively charged such as glutamate and aspartate.

c.  The next/incoming nucleotide is added to the 2’ hydroxyl group of the pentose sugar, the next amino acid is added to the hydroxyl portion of a carboxylic acid group.

The incoming nucleotide is added to the 3` hydroxyl group of the pentose sugar. Next amino acid is added to the peptide bond which is CONH.