A nuclic acid is composed of nitrogenous bases , pentose sugar , phosphate group....

Hydrolysis of Nucleic Acid

Nucleic acids are macromolecules that are composed of nucleotides. They play a crucial role in storing and transmitting genetic information. When nucleic acids are subjected to hydrolysis, they break down into their constituent components, which include purines, pyrimidines, pentose sugars, and phosphoric acid. However, one of these components is not obtained on hydrolysis of nucleic acid, and that is phosphoric acid.

Components Obtained on Hydrolysis of Nucleic Acid

1. Purine: Purines are nitrogenous bases that are found in nucleic acids. Adenine and guanine are the two purine bases present in DNA and RNA. During hydrolysis, the purine bases are released from the nucleic acid backbone.

2. Pyrimidine: Pyrimidines are another type of nitrogenous bases found in nucleic acids. Cytosine, thymine (in DNA), and uracil (in RNA) are the pyrimidine bases present in nucleic acids. During hydrolysis, the pyrimidine bases are also released.

3. Pentose Sugar: Nucleic acids contain a pentose sugar as part of their structure. In DNA, the sugar is deoxyribose, while in RNA, the sugar is ribose. During hydrolysis, the pentose sugar is released.

Phosphoric Acid

Phosphoric acid, also known as orthophosphoric acid, is not a component obtained on hydrolysis of nucleic acid. While nucleic acids do contain phosphate groups, these groups are released as part of the nucleotide structure and not as free phosphoric acid molecules. The phosphate groups are important for the formation of the phosphodiester bonds that link nucleotides together to form the nucleic acid backbone.

Conclusion

In summary, when nucleic acids undergo hydrolysis, purines, pyrimidines, and pentose sugars are obtained as the constituent components. However, phosphoric acid is not obtained as a separate molecule during this process.