[mona37]

Hi everyone,
Do you have any idea why Nucleic acid has an "acid" in its name? As far as I looked at the nucleotides, they are full with O- (electron donors) and not electron acceptors (H+). The same with fatty acids.
Thanks.

[Arkcon]

The phosphate backbone gives free DNA a significantly lower pH than the average nucleus proteins.  Especially the DNA structure proteins, the histones.  Basically, it's terminology from back before we knew what component of a cell's nucleus was the source of the genetic information and  the just sort of gave them names that seemed to fit.

Look up some common reactions of fatty acids and see if the name doesn't fit for a reason that is somewhat similar.

[Yggdrasil]

At physiological pH most acids become negatively charged because they give up their protons.  For example acetic acid (CH₃CH₂COOH) exists primarily as acetate ions (CH₃CH₂COO^-) at pH 7.

Similarly, fatty acids contain carboxylic acid groups that become deprotonated in the body to form carboxylate ions.  DNA has phosphoric acid groups that become deprotonated to form phosphate groups.

In the same manner, most basic groups in biology are protonated at physiological pH.  For example, amines in proteins are -NH₃⁺ instead of -NH₂.