100 Unique & Awesome Facts ABout DNA(DE-OXY-RIBO-NUCLEIC-ACID)
DNA
DNA stands for deoxyribonucleic acid. DNA is part of our definition of a living organism. DNA is found in all living things. DNA was first isolated in 1869 by Friedrich Miescher. James Watson and Francis Crick figured out the structure of DNA. DNA is a double helix. The structure of DNA can be likened to a twisted ladder. The rungs of the ladder are made up of “bases” Adenine (A) is a base. Thymine (T) is a base. Cytosine (C) is a base Guanine (G) is a base. A always pairs with T in DNA. C also pairs with G in DNA. The amount of A is equal to the amoun tof T, same for C and G. A+C = T+G Hydrogen bonds hold the bases together. The sides of the DNA ladder is made of sugars and phosphate atoms. Bases attached to a sugar; this complex is called a nucleoside. Sugar + phosphate + base = nucleotide. The DNA ladder usually twists to the right. There are many conformations of DNA: A-DNA, B-DNA, and Z-DNA are the only ones found in nature. Almost all the cells in our body have DNA with the exception of red blood cells. DNA is the “blueprint” of life. Chromosomal or nuclear DNA is DNA found in the nucleus of cells. Humans have 46 chromosomes. Autosomal DNA is part of chromosomal DNA but does not include the two sex chromsomes – X and Y. One chromosome can have as little as 50 million base pairs or as much as 250 million base pairs. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is found in the mitochondria. mtDNA is only passed from the mother to the child because only eggs have mitochondria, not sperm. There’s a copy of our entire DNA sequence in every cell of our body with one exception. Our entire DNA sequence is called a genome. There’s an estimated 3 billion DNA bases in our genome. One million bases (called a megabase and abbreviated Mb) of DNA sequence data is roughly equivalent to 1 megabyte of computer data
DNA stands for deoxyribonucleic acid. DNA is part of our definition of a living organism. DNA is found in all living things. DNA was first isolated in 1869 by Friedrich Miescher. James Watson and Francis Crick figured out the structure of DNA. DNA is a double helix. The structure of DNA can be likened to a twisted ladder. The rungs of the ladder are made up of “bases” Adenine (A) is a base. Thymine (T) is a base. Cytosine (C) is a base Guanine (G) is a base. A always pairs with T in DNA. C also pairs with G in DNA. The amount of A is equal to the amoun tof T, same for C and G. A+C = T+G Hydrogen bonds hold the bases together. The sides of the DNA ladder is made of sugars and phosphate atoms. Bases attached to a sugar; this complex is called a nucleoside. Sugar + phosphate + base = nucleotide. The DNA ladder usually twists to the right. There are many conformations of DNA: A-DNA, B-DNA, and Z-DNA are the only ones found in nature. Almost all the cells in our body have DNA with the exception of red blood cells. DNA is the “blueprint” of life. Chromosomal or nuclear DNA is DNA found in the nucleus of cells. Humans have 46 chromosomes. Autosomal DNA is part of chromosomal DNA but does not include the two sex chromsomes – X and Y. One chromosome can have as little as 50 million base pairs or as much as 250 million base pairs. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is found in the mitochondria. mtDNA is only passed from the mother to the child because only eggs have mitochondria, not sperm. There’s a copy of our entire DNA sequence in every cell of our body with one exception. Our entire DNA sequence is called a genome. There’s an estimated 3 billion DNA bases in our genome. One million bases (called a megabase and abbreviated Mb) of DNA sequence data is roughly equivalent to 1 megabyte of computer data