How does Phosphorus -32 detect the presence of nucleic acids. Why can it not detect amino acids also?

Answer 1

Phosphorus-32 does not detect the presence of nucleic acids. It is used to mark or allow the detection of nucleic acids by being incorporated into these within living systems.

Phosphorus-32 is a man-made isotope which has a half-life of 14.28 days. It is a beta emitter, ending as Sulfur-32. If it is chemically oxidized into the oxide and then the phosphate, it is easily incorporated into nucleic acids. It can be easily detected with standard radiometric equipment.

Amino acids do not contain Phosphorus and no P-32 can be incorporated.

Answer 2

the structures of nucleic acids contain phosphorus, hence the name "sugar-phosphate" backbones. amino acids only contain carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen (CHON). DNA and RNA contain the same elementss but with phosphorus (CHONP).