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DNA Diagram Representing The DNA Structure

The DNA structure forms a twisted ladder-like double helix. It is composed of nucleotides that contain sugar, phosphate, and one of four nitrogen bases (adenine, thymine, guanine, cytosine). The bases pair up between strands in a specific manner (A pairs with T, C pairs with G) to form the structure. The order of bases determines the DNA's genetic code.

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Doctor Muhammad Junaid
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75 views

DNA Diagram Representing The DNA Structure

The DNA structure forms a twisted ladder-like double helix. It is composed of nucleotides that contain sugar, phosphate, and one of four nitrogen bases (adenine, thymine, guanine, cytosine). The bases pair up between strands in a specific manner (A pairs with T, C pairs with G) to form the structure. The order of bases determines the DNA's genetic code.

Uploaded by

Doctor Muhammad Junaid
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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DNA Diagram representing the DNA Structure

DNA Structure
The DNA structure can be thought of as a twisted ladder. This structure is described as a double-
helix, as illustrated in the figure above. It is a nucleic acid, and all nucleic acids are made up of
nucleotides. The DNA molecule is composed of units called nucleotides, and each nucleotide is
composed of three different components such as sugar, phosphate groups and nitrogen bases. 
The basic building blocks of DNA are nucleotides, which are composed of a sugar group, a
phosphate group, and a nitrogen base. The sugar and phosphate groups link the nucleotides
together to form each strand of DNA. Adenine (A), Thymine (T), Guanine (G)  and Cytosine (C)
are four types of nitrogen bases.
These 4 Nitrogenous bases pair together in the following way: A with T, and C with G. These
base pairs are essential for the DNA’s double helix structure, which resembles a twisted ladder.
The order of the nitrogenous bases determines the genetic code or the DNA’s instructions.

Components of DNA Structure

Among the three components of DNA structure, sugar is the one which forms the backbone of
the DNA molecule. It is also called deoxyribose. The nitrogenous bases of the opposite strands
form hydrogen bonds, forming a ladder-like structure.
DNA Structure Backbone

The DNA molecule consists of 4 nitrogen bases, namely adenine (A), thymine (T), cytosine (C)
and Guanine (G), which ultimately form the structure of a nucleotide. The A and G are purines,
and the C and T are pyrimidines.
The two strands of DNA run in opposite directions. These strands are held together by the
hydrogen bond that is present between the two complementary bases. The strands are helically
twisted, where each strand forms a right-handed coil, and ten nucleotides make up a single turn.
The pitch of each helix is 3.4 nm. Hence, the distance between two consecutive base pairs (i.e.,
hydrogen-bonded bases of the opposite strands) is 0.34 nm.

The DNA coils up, forming chromosomes, and each chromosome has a single molecule of DNA
in it. Overall, human beings have around twenty-three pairs of chromosomes in the nucleus of
cells. DNA also plays an essential role in the process of cell division.
Why DNA is called a Polynucleotide Molecule?
The DNA is called a polynucleotide because the DNA molecule is composed of nucleotides –
deoxyadenylate (A) deoxyguanylate (G) deoxycytidylate (C) and deoxythymidylate
(T), which are combined to create long chains called a polynucleotide. As per the DNA structure,
the DNA consists of two chains of polynucleotides.

Chargaff’s Rule
Erwin Chargaff, a biochemist, discovered that the number of nitrogenous bases in the
DNA was present in equal quantities. The amount of A is equal to T, whereas the amount of C is
equal to G.
A=T; C=G
In other words, the DNA of any cell from any organism should have a 1:1 ratio of purine and
pyrimidine bases.

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