Editing Polymer backbone (section)

=== Nucleic acids ===
[[File:DNA condensation.svg|thumb|Condensation of [[adenine]] and [[guanine]] forming a [[phosphodiester bond]], the [[Nucleoside triphosphate|triphosphorylated ribose]] of the incoming nucleotide is attacked by the 3' [[Hydroxy group|hydroxyl]] of the polymer, releasing [[pyrophosphate]].]]
[[Deoxyribonucleic acid]] (DNA) and [[RiboNucleic Acid|ribonucleic acid]] (RNA) are the main examples of [[polynucleotide]]s. They arise by condensation of nucleotides. Their backbones form by the condensation of a hydroxy group on a [[ribose]] with the [[phosphate]] group on another ribose. This linkage is called a [[phosphodiester bond]]. The condensation is catalyzed by [[enzyme]]s called [[polymerase]]s. DNA and RNA can be millions of nucleotides long thus allowing for the [[genetic diversity]] of life. The bases project from the pentose-phosphate polymer backbone and are [[hydrogen bond]]ed in pairs to their [[Complementary nucleotide|complementary]] partners (A with T and G with C). This creates a [[Nucleic acid double helix|double helix]] with pentose phosphate backbones on either side, thus forming a [[Protein secondary structure|secondary structure]].<ref>{{cite book |vauthors=Alberts B, Johnson A, Lewis J, et al |chapter=DNA Replication Mechanisms |chapter-url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK26850/ |id=NBK26850 |title=Molecular Biology of the Cell |publisher=Garland Science |edition=4th |year=2002 |isbn=0-8153-3218-1 |url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK21054/}}</ref><ref name=Voet16 /><ref>{{cite book |vauthors=Lodish H, Berk A, Zipursky SL, et al |chapter=4.1, Structure of Nucleic Acids |chapter-url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK21514/ |title=Molecular Cell Biology |publisher=W.H. Freeman |edition=4th |year=2000 |isbn=0-7167-3136-3 |url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK21475/ |id=NBK21514}}</ref>