Nucleic acids

The nucleic acids, the vital constituents of living beings, are long-chain polymers composed of nucleotides. Nucleic acids were named based partly on their chemical properties and partly on the observation that they represent a major constituent of the cell nucleus. The fact that they form the chemical basis for the transmission of genetic traits was not realized until 1941. Among other important roles, nucleotides can serve as sources of energy in the form of ATP, physiological signaling mediators, secondary messengers, and allosteric enzyme effectors.