DNA and RNA also have different structures; DNA's phosphate-sugar backbone contains deoxyribose, while RNA's contains ribose. While DNA is double-stranded and has the nitrogenous bases adenine, thymine, cytosine, and guanine, RNA is usually single-stranded and contains uracil instead of thymine.
Composed of a sugar-phosphate backbone and base pairs (adenine-thymine, guanine-cytosine), DNA stores genetic information, replicates, and expresses traits. The human genome contains 6 billion base pairs across 46 chromosomes, making it a compact and efficient information storage system.
DNA structure and function Nucleic acids DNA Molecular structure of DNA Antiparallel structure of DNA strands Leading and lagging strands in DNA replication Speed and precision of DNA replication
DNA and RNA, composed of nucleotide building blocks, store hereditary information. These polymers have a backbone of alternating ribose and phosphate groups, with nitrogenous bases forming ladder rungs. The sequence of nucleotides encodes genetic information, making nucleic acids fundamental to life.
A scientist designs a primer, which is a short oligonucleotide, for use in a DNA sequencing reaction. The primer is complementary to the DNA template shown below.
Explore the molecular structure of DNA, including its double helix and complementary base pairing. Examine RNA’s single-stranded structure and its role in gene expression.
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.
Unit 12: DNA as the genetic material About this unit This unit is part of the Biology archive. Browse videos and articles by topic. For our most up-to-date, mastery-enabled courses, check out High School Biology and AP Biology.
