Question

How are proteins and nucleic acids related?
They both provide energy.
They both carry genetic information.
The structure of proteins is determined by nucleic acids.
The subunits of nucleic acids are also the subunits of proteins.

Answer 1

Correct answer: The structure of proteins is determined by nucleic acids.

Short explanations:
- They both provide energy — False. Proteins can be catabolized for energy and nucleotides like ATP carry chemical energy, but neither proteins nor nucleic acids are primarily energy-storage molecules in the way carbohydrates and fats are.
- They both carry genetic information — False. Nucleic acids (DNA/RNA) carry genetic information; proteins do not encode heredity.
- The structure of proteins is determined by nucleic acids — True. DNA (via mRNA) specifies the amino acid sequence (primary structure) of proteins through the genetic code; that sequence then folds into the protein’s functional structure.
- The subunits of nucleic acids are also the subunits of proteins — False. Nucleic acids are made of nucleotides; proteins are made of amino acids — distinct building blocks.