In molecular biology, the 5' end and the 3' end (pronounced 5-prime and 3-prime) are respectively the leading and tail ends of a strand of nucleic acid. These strands are unidirectional, i.e. they may only be read in one direction (for purposes transcription, translation, replication and other processes). The sugar (ribose or deoxyribose) molecules in the nucleic acid are all oriented in the same direction. Their carbon atoms are numbered: the 5' carbon atom is always on the side of the sugar molecule that faces the leading end, while the 3' carbon atom always faces the tail end.(see figure). Labeled diagram of (deoxy)Ribose I, the creator of this image, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Molecular biology is the study of biology at a molecular level. ... In molecular biology, the 5 end and the 3 end (pronounced 5-prime and 3-prime) are respectively the leading and tail ends of a strand of nucleic acid. ... A nucleic acid is a complex, high-molecular-weight biochemical macromolecule composed of nucleotide chains that convey genetic information. ... Transcription may be one of the following: In linguistics, transcription is the conversion of spoken words into written language. ... Translation in the cytoplasm; tRNA carries amino acids which are added to the growing peptide chain in the ribosome. ... In biology, replication is the act or ability to make a copy. ... Ribose Ribose is a five carbon sugar (pentose) that is critical to living creatures. ... Deoxyribose Deoxyribose (more precisely 2-deoxyribose) is a five-carbon sugar (a pentose) derived from the pentose sugar ribose by the repacement of the hydroxyl group at the 2 position with hydrogen, leading to the net loss of an oxygen. ... General Name, Symbol, Number Carbon, C, 6 Chemical series Nonmetals Group, Period, Block 14 (IVA), 2, p Density, Hardness 2267 kg/m3 0. ...

Nucleic Acids can only be synthesized in vivo in the 5' -> 3' direction. Traditionally DNA and RNA sequences are written going from 5' to 3'. A nucleic acid is a complex, high-molecular-weight biochemical macromolecule composed of nucleotide chains that convey genetic information. ... Space-filling model of a section of DNA molecule Deoxyribose nucleic acid (DNA) is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions specifying the biological development of all cellular forms of life (and many viruses). ... Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is a nucleic acid consisting of a string of covalently-bound nucleotides. ...

Physiologically, the importance of the 3' end is the presence of a hydroxyl group. The 3'-hydroxyl is necessary in ligation. Molecular biologists can use nucleotides that lack a 3'-hydroxyl (dideoxyribonucleotides) to interrupt the replication of DNA. This dideoxy termination method was used to create a system to sequence DNA. The dideoxy termination method was developed by Frederick Sanger, and is often referred to as the Sanger Method. Hydroxide is a functional group consisting of oxygen and hydrogen: -O−H It has a charge of 1-. The term hydroxyl group is used when the functional group -OH is counted as a substituent of an organic compound. ... Molecular biology is the study of biology at a molecular level. ... A nucleotide is an organic molecule consisting of a heterocyclic nucleobase (a purine or a pyrimidine), a pentose sugar (deoxyribose in DNA or ribose in RNA), and a phosphate or polyphosphate group. ... The chain termination or Sanger or dideoxy method is a process used to sequence (read the bases of) DNA. It is named after Frederick Sanger who developed the process in 1975. ... For the sense of sequencing used in electronic music, see the music sequencer article. ... Space-filling model of a section of DNA molecule Deoxyribose nucleic acid (DNA) is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions specifying the biological development of all cellular forms of life (and many viruses). ... The chain termination or Sanger or dideoxy method is a process used to sequence (read the bases of) DNA. It is named after Frederick Sanger who developed the process in 1975. ... This article or section should be merged with Fred Sanger Frederick Sanger OM (born August 13, 1918) is a British molecular biologist who was working on problems related to the determination of the structure of proteins. ...