Question

Which of the following DNA sequences qualifies to be designated as a palindrome?

• A. 5’ – GACCAG – 3’ in one strand
• B. 3’ – GACCAG – 5’ in one strand
• C. 5’ – GACGAC = 3’ , 3’ – CGGGTC – 5’
• D. 5’ – AGCGCT – 3’ , 3’ – TCGCGA – 5’

Answer 1

The correct option is D 5’ – AGCGCT – 3’ , 3’ – TCGCGA – 5’

Palindrome is a section of double stranded DNA in which the sequence of bases on one DNA strand is inverted and repeated with that on other strand. Thus the following sequence is palindromic:
5’ – AGCGCT – 3’ , 3’ – TCGCGA – 5’
Palindromic sequences are common in DNA and are the sites at which the DNA is cleaved by restriction enzymes.