University:
University of Virginia
Course:
BIOL 1040 | The DNA Revolution in Science and Society
Academic year:

2024
Views:

101

Pages:

1
Author:

Kayli N.

DNA Composition ● Sugars are complex molecules ○ Store energy that is released when bonds break ○ Contributes to DNA/RNA structure ○ Deoxyribose (DNA backbone) has 1 less Oxygen atom than Ribose (RNA) ● Sugars are linked with phosphate groups to form DNA backbone ● DNA bases (A,T,G,C) are bound to backbone to form DNA strand ● Two bound DNA strands by weak hydrogen bonds form double helix ○ One strand can pull apart and be used to replicate the other ● DNA helix is coiled and condensed to form chromosomes ● Tightly coiled histones in coiled DNA (all is coiled to package and fit) ○ Disadvantage, must uncoil and coil during gene expression Summary ● DNA has backbone of sugars and phosphates with bases that contains base/nucleotides sequences ● DNA double helix with complimentary strands that can replicate each other ● DNA is tightly packaged into nuclei of cells, which carries lots of information