Monday, December 2, 2013

The DNA structure


DNA has a double helix shape, which is like a ladder twisted into a spiral. Each step of the ladder is a pair of nucleotides. Speaking of nucleotides, it is a molecule made of deoxyribose, a kind of sugar with 5 carbon atoms, and a phosphate group made of phosphorus and oxygen, and nitrogenous base. There are four types of nucleotide: Adenine (A)/ Thymine (T)/ Cytosine (C)/ Guanine (G). The DNA ladder is made of two bases, one base coming from each leg. The bases connect in the middle: 'A' only pairs with 'T', and 'C' only pairs with 'G'. The bases are held together by hydrogen bonds. Adenine (A) and thymine (T) can pair up because they make two hydrogen bonds, and cytosine (C) and guanine (G) pair up to make three hydrogen bonds.


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