Table of Contents
- 1 How are the directions of DNA identified?
- 2 What part of DNA carries the information?
- 3 How does structure of DNA relate to its function?
- 4 How many chains does DNA have how do these chains interact with each other what is the orientation of the chains?
- 5 What statement best explains how the traits of an organism are determined by the DNA in each of their cells?
- 6 What describes the structure of DNA?
- 7 How do we know DNA is a double helix?
- 8 What is the structure of the backbone of DNA?
- 9 What do you need to know about the molecular structure of DNA?
- 10 What do the two strands of DNA have in common?
How are the directions of DNA identified?
The four types of nitrogen bases found in nucleotides are: adenine (A), thymine (T), guanine (G) and cytosine (C). The order, or sequence, of these bases determines what biological instructions are contained in a strand of DNA.
What part of DNA carries the information?
Genetic information is carried in the linear sequence of nucleotides in DNA. Each molecule of DNA is a double helix formed from two complementary strands of nucleotides held together by hydrogen bonds between G-C and A-T base pairs.
How does DNA determine what traits we have?
Traits are determined by genes, and also they are determined by the interaction with the environment with genes. And remember that genes are the messages in our DNA that define individual characteristics. So the trait is the manifestation of the product of a gene that is coded for by the DNA.
How does structure of DNA relate to its function?
The function of DNA is tied to its structure. The bonds between nitrogenous bases are essential to DNA’s double helix structure, which resembles a twisted ladder. The base pairs form the rungs of the twisted ladder, and the sugar-phosphate strands form the sides.
How many chains does DNA have how do these chains interact with each other what is the orientation of the chains?
DNA is made up of two polynucleotide chains that are wound around each other in an anti-parallel fashion to form a double helix. The two chains are held together by hydrogen bonds between the nitrogenous bases.
How do you read DNA strands?
DNA is ‘read’ in a specific direction, just like letters and words in the English language are read from left to right. Each end of DNA molecule has a number. One end is referred to as 5′ (five prime) and the other end is referred to as 3′ (three prime).
What statement best explains how the traits of an organism are determined by the DNA in each of their cells?
Which of the following statements best describes how the traits of an organism are determined by the DNA in their cells? Proteins do much of the chemical work inside cells, so they largely determine an organism’s traits.
What describes the structure of DNA?
DNA structure Its structure is described as a double-stranded helix held together by complementary base pairs. The basic units of DNA are nucleotides. These nucleotides consist of a deoxyribose sugar, phosphate and base.
How do DNA chains interact with each other?
The nucleotides forming each DNA strand are connected by noncovalent bonds, called hydrogen bonds. Considered individually, hydrogen bonds are much weaker than a single covalent bond, such as a phosphodiester bond. But, there are so many of them that the two DNA polymers are very strongly connected to each other.
How do we know DNA is a double helix?
KEY FACTX-ray diffraction of DNA crystals results in a cross shape on the X-ray film, which is typical of a molecule with a helix shape. James and Francis used evidence shared by others, particularly Rosalind Franklin and Maurice Wilkins, to determine the shape of DNA.
What is the structure of the backbone of DNA?
The backbone of DNA is based on a repeated pattern of a sugar group and a phosphate group. The full name of DNA, deoxyribonucleic acid, gives you the name of the sugar present – deoxyribose. The phosphate group on one nucleotide links to the 3′ carbon atom on the sugar of another one.
What happens when you add nucleotides to the DNA chain?
The phosphate group on one nucleotide links to the 3′ carbon atom on the sugar of another one. In the process, a molecule of water is lost – another condensation reaction. . . . and you can continue to add more nucleotides in the same way to build up the DNA chain.
What do you need to know about the molecular structure of DNA?
The molecular structure of DNA. In order to understand the biological function of DNA, you first need to understand its molecular structure. This requires learning the vocabulary for talking about the building blocks of DNA, and how these building blocks are assembled to make DNA molecules.
What do the two strands of DNA have in common?
Notice that in the two figures above, the two strands of a DNA molecule are antiparallel , that is, they run in different directions. The side of the chain on the left begins with a free phosphate group at the top and ends with a sugar molecule at the bottom.