Fun Facts about DNA | Fun Facts. DNA is an abbreviation for deoxyribonucleic acid. The shape of DNA is a double helix and all living things are made up of DNA. Friedrich Miescher first isolated DNA in 1869. The only cells in the human body that do not contain DNA are red blood cells. If all the DNA in the human body were unwound, it would reach to the moon and back six thousand times. A single cell can contain six to nine feet of DNA. All humans share about ninety-nine percent of the same DNA sequence. DNA makes up our genes. All living things today contain DNA which contains our genetic material. The study of DNA has numerous scientific applications.
Stumblerz. DNA. The structure of the DNA double helix. The atoms in the structure are colour-coded by element and the detailed structure of two base pairs are shown in the bottom right. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a molecule that encodes the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms and many viruses. DNA is a nucleic acid; alongside proteins and carbohydrates, nucleic acids compose the three major macromolecules essential for all known forms of life.
Most DNA molecules consist of two biopolymer strands coiled around each other to form a double helix. The two DNA strands are known as polynucleotides since they are composed of simpler units called nucleotides. Each nucleotide is composed of a nitrogen-containing nucleobase—either guanine (G), adenine (A), thymine (T), or cytosine (C)—as well as a monosaccharide sugar called deoxyribose and a phosphate group. DNA is well-suited for biological information storage. Properties A section of DNA. Grooves. Introduction to DNA Structure.
A Molecular Graphics companion to an Introductory Course in Biology or Biochemistry. Copyright 1995, Richard B. Hallick. All rights reserved Contents Components of DNA DNA is a polymer. A is for adenine G is for guanine C is for cytosine T is for thymine Purine Bases Adenine and guanine are purines. Structure of A and G The 9 atoms that make up the fused rings (5 carbon, 4 nitrogen) are numbered 1-9. Pyrimidine Bases Cytosine and thymine are pyrimidines. Structure of C and T Deoxyribose Sugar The deoxyribose sugar of the DNA backbone has 5 carbons and 3 oxygens. Structure of deoxyribose Nucleosides A nucleoside is one of the four DNA bases covalently attached to the C1' position of a sugar. Structure of dA In dA and dG, there is an "N-glycoside" bond between the sugar C1' and N9 of the purine. Nucleotides A nucleotide is a nucleoside with one or more phosphate groups covalently attached to the 3'- and/or 5'-hydroxyl group(s).
DNA Backbone Example of DNA Backbone: 5'-d(CGAAT): DNA Double Helix. Understanding Genetics: Human Health and the Genome. Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) Fact Sheet. Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) What is DNA? We all know that elephants only give birth to little elephants, giraffes to giraffes, dogs to dogs and so on for every type of living creature. But why is this so? The answer lies in a molecule called deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), which contains the biological instructions that make each species unique. Top of page Where is DNA found? DNA is found inside a special area of the cell called the nucleus. During DNA replication, DNA unwinds so it can be copied. Researchers refer to DNA found in the cell's nucleus as nuclear DNA. Besides the DNA located in the nucleus, humans and other complex organisms also have a small amount of DNA in cell structures known as mitochondria.
In sexual reproduction, organisms inherit half of their nuclear DNA from the male parent and half from the female parent. What is DNA made of? DNA is made of chemical building blocks called nucleotides. Each DNA sequence that contains instructions to make a protein is known as a gene. Children Resemble Their Parents :: DNA from the Beginning. Since the beginning of human history, people have wondered how traits are inherited from one generation to the next. Although children often look more like one parent than the other, most offspring seem to be a blend of the characteristics of both parents. Centuries of breeding of domestic plants and animals had shown that useful traits — speed in horses, strength in oxen, and larger fruits in crops — can be accentuated by controlled mating.
However, there was no scientific way to predict the outcome of a cross between two particular parents. It wasn't until 1865 that an Augustinian Monk named Gregor Mendel found that individual traits are determined by discrete "factors," later known as genes, which are inherited from the parents. His rigorous approach transformed agricultural breeding from an art to a science. An Introduction to Recombinant DNA. DNA - student, teacher, and parent learning resource. Eureka ! Science your science resource for teaching, homeschooling, and learning Home * I Can Do That! Cells DNA introduction introduction for parents genes genes for parents structure structure for parents replication replication for parents detail detail for parents RNA Protein Clones Links * Ask Dr.
Pat Science in the News email us Here at Eureka ! Ask Dr. Keep a finger on the pulse of science by keeping up with some of the latest science discoveries and inventions. Science News EurekaScience.com pages contain a great deal of information about DNA and its role in cell biology for classroom and homeschool teachers, parents, and students of all ages. Webpage: DNA introduction webpage: DNA introduction for parents & teachers We have all heard about DNA - but what is it? Webpage: DNA structure webpage: DNA structure for parents & teachers DNA are long, double-stranded helixes made up of nucleotides. Webpage: Ask Dr. Learn more ! | home | i can do that! DNA Replication -- Exploring Nature Educational Resource. Return to the Genetics, Cloning, Human Genome Index DNA Replication The bonds between base pairs are made to be easily broken so that the DNA spiral can unwind and unzip.
This allows two processes to take place. One is replication and the other is transcription. Replication is really just gene-copying. There are free nucleotides floating in the cell's cytoplasm. More Details for Older Students: DNA replication is semi-conservative. Content Collaboration Collaborative consultation on website genetics and genomics from Dr. PDF (Save onto Desktop for Read Aloud in Acrobat) click here Citing This Reference CITING RESEARCH REFERENCES When you research information you must cite the reference. When citing a WEBSITE the general format is as follows. All text on Exploring Nature was written by author, Sheri Amsel Here is an example of citing this page: Amsel, Sheri.