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What are the inorganic ions present in nucleic acids and proteins ??

Im stuck with this, I thought it was just phosphorus?
Original post by masterstudier33
Im stuck with this, I thought it was just phosphorus?

Nucleic acids will have a nitrogen containing base, so will need a source of nitrate ions to form these, for example. It isn't really a mineral ion though in this case
Original post by ZakGoulders
Nucleic acids will have a nitrogen containing base, so will need a source of nitrate ions to form these, for example. It isn't really a mineral ion though in this case

okay thank you- so for nucleic acids the inorganic ion is nitrate is that correct? or is it nitrogen ions ?

and secondly, what would the inorganic ion for proteins be ?
Bump
Original post by masterstudier33
okay thank you- so for nucleic acids the inorganic ion is nitrate is that correct? or is it nitrogen ions ?

and secondly, what would the inorganic ion for proteins be ?

Sorry, I hadn't seen the notification for this. It is isn't an ion necessarily. I'm not sure if you do Chemistry A Level but that helps explain it. Nitrate ions are used as they're more easily absorbed by the body, and the nitrogen atom is then incorporated into the nucleic acids.

In terms of proteins, if we look at the structure of an amino acid (the monomer), it has an "amine" group". This is a NH2 group. Once again, this isn't an ion, but simply a nitrogen atom which we have obtained from the nitrate ion (NO3-)

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