Question

What are the characteristics of DNA?

Answer 1

The characteristics of DNA:

1. DNA is a molecule that carries all the genetic information for the function and development of an organism.
2. The DNA molecule is a double helix structure.
3. The two strands of a DNA molecule are anti-parallel( one is 3' to 5' direction and another one is 5' to 3' direction) and twisted.
4. It is made up of four nucleotides - adenine(A), guanine(G), cytosine(C), and thymine(T).
5. Each nucleotide consists of a phosphate group, a pentose sugar ( deoxyribose sugar in case of DNA), and a nitrogen base.
6. The two strands are attached with hydrogen bonds in which there are two hydrogen bonds between A and T and three hydrogen bonds between C and G.
7. The nucleotides in DNA code for protein.
8. It has complementary base pairing which means one molecule of the strands chemically matches the sequences on another strand.
9. DNA molecules carry genes that store all the genetic information.