Nucleic Acids

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GRE Subject Test: Chemistry › Nucleic Acids

Questions 1 - 1
1

Of the following groups of nitrogenous bases, which does not contain a purine?

Cytosine, thymine, uracil

Thymine, adenine, cytosine

Adenine, guanine, thymine

Guanine, uracil, adenine

Cytosine, thymine, guanine

Explanation

We can use the mnemonic "PurAG" to remember that the purines are adenine and guanine. The only choice that does not contain a purine, therefore, is "cytosine, thymine, and uracil." Remember, pyrimidines contain a single ring, while purines have two.

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