Compare proteins to nucleic acids.Which of the following is true?
A)Both have primary and secondary structure.
B)Both contain sulfur.
C)Both take on structural roles in the cell.
D)Monomers of both contain phosphorus.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Both proteins and nucleic acids have primary and secondary structures. The primary structure of a protein is the linear sequence of amino acids, while the primary structure of a nucleic acid is the linear sequence of nucleotides. The secondary structure of a protein refers to the folding or coiling of the amino acid chain into alpha helices or beta sheets, while the secondary structure of a nucleic acid refers to the formation of double-stranded helices, such as with DNA.

B is incorrect because only proteins contain sulfur in the form of cysteine amino acids, while nucleic acids do not.

C is partially correct, as both proteins and nucleic acids can play structural roles in the cell, such as with structural proteins or with the formation of chromatin. However, this is not unique to either macromolecule as both can also have functional roles, such as with enzymes or with genetic information.

D is incorrect because while nucleic acid monomers contain phosphorus in the form of a phosphate group, protein monomers (amino acids) do not.

Compare Proteins to Nucleic Acids