3' end
3' end
The 3' end (pronounced "three prime end") is a term used in molecular biology to refer to the end of a nucleic acid molecule. The 3' end is the end of the molecule that has a free hydroxyl group attached to the third carbon (C3') of the deoxyribose or ribose sugar ring. It is an important concept in many aspects of molecular biology, including DNA replication, transcription, and translation.
Etymology
The term "3' end" comes from the way that the carbon atoms in the deoxyribose or ribose sugar ring of a nucleic acid are numbered. The prime symbol (') is used to distinguish these carbon atoms from the carbon atoms in the base that is attached to the sugar ring. The 3' carbon is the one to which the next nucleotide is attached in a polynucleotide chain, so the 3' end of the chain is the end that is "downstream" in terms of the direction of synthesis of the chain.
Related terms
- 5' end: The end of a nucleic acid molecule opposite the 3' end. The 5' end has a free phosphate group attached to the fifth carbon (C5') of the sugar ring.
- Directionality (molecular biology): The orientation of a nucleic acid molecule from the 5' end to the 3' end. This is the direction in which the molecule is synthesized.
- Antisense strand: The strand of DNA that is used as a template for transcription. The antisense strand is read in the 3' to 5' direction by the RNA polymerase.
- Sense strand: The strand of DNA that is not used as a template for transcription. The sense strand has the same sequence (except for T instead of U) and directionality as the mRNA.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on 3' end
- Wikipedia's article - 3' end
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