During replication, the two strands of DNA are separated, and each strand serves as a template for the synthesis of a new complementary strand. This process ensures that each new cell receives a complete set of genetic information. The sequence of nucleotides determines the sequence of amino acids in proteins, which are responsible for the structure and function of cells.ĭNA replication is the process by which cells make copies of their DNA. This information is encoded within the sequence of nucleotides in the DNA molecule. The main function of DNA is to carry genetic information from one generation to the next. The discovery of the structure of DNA was one of the most significant scientific breakthroughs of the 20th century, and it paved the way for further research in genetics and molecular biology. They proposed a double helix structure, in which two strands of DNA coil around each other. The structure of DNA was first described by James Watson and Francis Crick in 1953. The two strands of DNA are held together by hydrogen bonds between the nitrogenous bases. This is known as complementary base pairing. The nitrogenous bases always pair in a specific way: A pairs with T, and C pairs with G. The sugar and phosphate molecules form the backbone of the molecule, while the nitrogenous bases form the rungs of a ladder-like structure. Each nucleotide contains a sugar molecule, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base. Understanding DNA is key to many areas of science, including genetics, forensics, and medicine.ĭNA is a long, double-stranded molecule made up of four types of nucleotides: adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G), and thymine (T). DNA is essential for life, as it controls the processes that allow cells to reproduce and function properly.

It was first discovered in 1869 by Swiss biochemist Friedrich Miescher, but it wasn’t until the 1950s that scientists fully understood its structure and function. Photo-1633167606207-d840b5070fc2.jpeg 1080×1386 107 KBĭeoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a complex molecule that carries genetic information in almost all living organisms.

Instal the new Old Snook