Do you have any memory tricks for DNA & RNA nitrogen bases?

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Specializes in Hospice, Palliative Care.

Good day:

Do any of you have any memory tricks you use for remembering the make up of DNA and RNA specifically the nitrogen bases?

Thank you.

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pyrimidines - CUT PY

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The two circle letters go together C & G

The two stick letters go together A & T

"U" know that Uracil replaces T in RNA

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Specializes in Hospice, Palliative Care.

Thank you both!

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The two circle letters go together C & G

The two stick letters go together A & T

"U" know that Uracil replaces T in RNA

That's how I remember it! Odd, maybe, but when I see it written on the test I can see the C and G fit together.

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YouTube has some great videos. I just remember what letters go together like others have posted but sometimes remembering it visually helps me.

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Not sure how much detail you want, but these can help you recognize the structures:

Adenine - Begins with A, has a Amine group (both start with "A")

Guanine - "ON the Guan" - contains O and H2N

Thymine - Only one with methyl group ("thy" in both)

Uracil - U makes an OO sound, represented by 2 double-bonded Os.

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Specializes in Hospice, Palliative Care.

Thank you!

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I just remember Colgate like the toothpaste, and and then the order they are in.

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My teacher taught us "I like to look AT George Clooney"

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Specializes in Hospice, Palliative Care.

Thank you all.

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My Biology teacher taught us (and it helped me tremendously):

Pyrimadines (think of pyramids of Turks & Cairo) T & C

Purines (think All Gold is pure) A & G

for the bonds they make think ----- Gee I see three (G to C has 3 bonds) if you can remember that you can remember that the other is only 2.

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