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Topic: Dna structure question.  (Read 2611 times)

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Offline laura.g.berger

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Dna structure question.
« on: November 22, 2013, 11:58:14 AM »
Hello!
Guys, could you, please, tell me what does means, in the attached picture(phosphate group), that oxygen with minus signal(O-)?

Is there a hydrogen there and it's omitted in this picture?

Thank you!

Offline Yggdrasil

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Re: Dna structure question.
« Reply #1 on: November 22, 2013, 02:05:04 PM »
The O- sign means an oxygen with an overall negative charge.  This happens when the hydrogen gets removed from the phosphate group, leaving a lone pair of electrons.

Offline laura.g.berger

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Re: Dna structure question.
« Reply #2 on: November 22, 2013, 10:06:44 PM »
Quote
The O- sign means an oxygen with an overall negative charge.  This happens when the hydrogen gets removed from the phosphate group, leaving a lone pair of electrons.
Thank you for your answer!

It is possible i replace these oxygen for other atom of other chemical element? Or both oxygens (that with double bond with phosphate)? If yes, which element could be?

Offline Yggdrasil

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Re: Dna structure question.
« Reply #3 on: November 22, 2013, 11:01:56 PM »
It is possible to replace one of the oxygens with another element.  Replacing one of the oxygen in the phosphate results in a methylphosphonate group (see http://www.trilinkbiotech.com/cart/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=3305) which lacks a negative charge.  Replacing the oxygen with a sulfur creates a phosphothioate group (see http://www.trilinkbiotech.com/cart/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=3302) which makes the phosphate less reactive and less prone to degradation.

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