Sunday, April 11, 2010

What is DNA?

The fullform of DNA IS deoxyribonucleic acid.
It is a substance storing genetic information.
The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in regulating the use of this genetic information.
The main role of DNA molecules is the long-term storage of information. DNA is often compared to a set of blueprints or a recipe, or a code, since it contains the instructions needed to construct other components of cells,such as proteins and RNA molecules.
SO DNA is the hereditary material in humans and almost all other organisms.
An important property of DNA is that it can replicate, or make copies of itself.
So finally DNA is a nucleic acid that carries the genetic information in the cell and is capable of self-replication and synthesis of RNA.DNA consists of two long chains of nucleotides twisted into a double helix and joined by hydrogen bonds between the complementary bases adenine and thymine or cytosine and guanine. The sequence of nucleotides determines individual hereditary characteristics.

No comments:

Post a Comment