Structure of DNA

Structure of DNA

What Does DNA actually look like?

Multiple Select

What do we call the shape of DNA when it isn't wrapped around histones or squished into chromosomes?

• Twisted Ladder

• Double Helix

• Circular

• Spheriod

DNA parts

• A Phosphate

• A Sugar (Deoxyribose for DNA, ribose for RNA)

• A Nitrogen Base (Adenine, Cytosine, Guanine, Thymine (DNA only), Uracil (RNA) only

DNA Parts

• The sugar (deoxyribose) and the phosphate make the backbone or the outside of the ladder

• The nitrogen bases (A, T, C, and G) make up the rungs of the ladder

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Getting DNA To Stick Together

• The A's, C's, G's, and T's connect to each other to form the "rungs" of the DNA ladder.

• They only connect in very specific ways

• A's only connect to T's (or U's in RNA) and vice versa.

• C's only connect to G's and vice versa

Base Pairing

When the nitrogen bases (A's, T's, C's, and G's) connect together, we call that base pairing. Base pairing creates a complimentary strand of DNA!

Poll

Which parts of the DNA store information?

• Sugar (Deoxyribose)

• Phosphate

• Nitrogen Base

Genes

The order of the A's, C's, G's, and T's determine what your genes are!