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Multiple Choice
What type of bonding is responsible for maintaining the shape of the tRNA molecule shown in the figure?
A
Ionic bonding between phosphates.
B
Hydrogen bonding between base pairs of nucleotides.
C
Van der Waals interactions between hydrogen atoms.
D
Peptide bonding between amino acids.
Verified step by step guidance
1
Examine the structure of the tRNA molecule shown in the image. Notice the cloverleaf shape, which is characteristic of tRNA molecules.
Identify the regions where the tRNA folds back on itself. These are known as stem regions, where base pairing occurs between complementary nucleotides.
Understand that hydrogen bonds form between the base pairs in these stem regions, stabilizing the structure of the tRNA. Common base pairs include adenine (A) with uracil (U) and guanine (G) with cytosine (C).
Recognize that the loops in the tRNA structure do not involve base pairing and are stabilized by other interactions, but the overall shape is maintained by the hydrogen bonding in the stem regions.
Conclude that the hydrogen bonding between base pairs of nucleotides is responsible for maintaining the shape of the tRNA molecule, as seen in the image.