DNA

Contents:

What is the definition of DNA?
What are the functions of DNA?
How was DNA Discover?
How does DNA really look like?
What are the different types of DNA?
Where is DNA found in our body?
What is the amount of DNA present in the human body?
What is the role of DNA?
Why DNA is so important?

What is the definition of DNA?

DNA is an informative and instructive book that contains the information for living things to develop, grow, reproduce, and function. Or we can say that DNA is the hereditary material in humans and almost all the living organisms except few viruses.

DNA stands for DeoxyriboNucleic Acid

What are the functions of DNA?

It is a very main component of the cell that is contained by the nucleus so, you know as usual you are going to be taught on starting off with our dictionary basic definition of DNA so first of all what is DNA stands for? It stands for Deoxyribonucleic acid. DNA is the hereditary material that contains the control on all the activities of the cell and it contains information on how to reproduce, make proteins, and pass on materials during heredity.

We know that cells reproduce by the splitting things, know the splitting things on action called Mitosis, and so it's the DNA that has all the information and steps on how to do this and because remember when a cell is being made the two new cells, has to have identical DNA, identical genes and chromosomes and so it's the DNA that controls.

We said that in most eukaryotic cells DNA is contained by the nucleus then we know that in the nucleus is the nucleolus like the tiny little circle and that is what makes ribosomes, and ribosomes are responsible to make proteins so it's actually the DNA that helps the nucleus to make the ribosomes which in turn make proteins.

So that is kind of interesting how it is the DNA that started all of that and then also deoxyribonucleic acid passes on materials, that pass on the different traits and genes to the new offspring and that is all from the DNA so obviously, the DNA is really important.

How was DNA Discover?

If we take the time back in the 18th century, we did not have any exact knowledge about DNA. In 1869, it was Friedrich Meischer, who was isolated DNA for the very first time.

In 1928, Frederick Griffith gave clarification of DNA.
In 1943, Oswald Avery, along with co-workers, suggested that DNA is information transforming material.
In 1953, the double helix structure of DNA was discovered by James Watson, and Francis Crick and gave modern molecular biology.

How does DNA really look like?

Well, it's like the squiggly like the spiral figure with alternating lines, for that, the actual word is the double helix. so, DNA is a double helix structure and the double helix is also known as just as a twisted ladder, which is made up of subunits called Nucleotides, consist of a sugar and phosphate molecule, which make up the sides like if that twisted ladder was flattened out the sides of the ladder are made of alternating sugar and phosphate molecules and also the rungs are made up of the four nitrogenous bases that actually present in pairs, which are adenine, thymine, guanine, and cytosine.

Adenine and thymine always pair up together and guanine and cytosine always pair up with each other so this is the configuration of nitrogenous bases in DNA. If we refer one side of bases so in this case, that would be TCGA, which could be the configuration for brown eyes or brown skin.

That is what each DNA part is because there, is hereditary material and it is made up of. so that it configures one part of the body so each cell has that feature let's say a blood cell. Maybe, one of the DNA configurations is for O+ blood and that might be GCAA. So there are all different configurations of nitrogenous bases.

What are the different types of DNA?

Based on structure, we differentiate DNA into different types. Basically, there are two major types of DNA.

Prokaryotic Cell DNA: Prokaryotic DNA is double-stranded, circular presents in the cytoplasm near the mesosomes called Nucleoid. Sometimes we find single-stranded DNA found in bacteriophage virus which eats bacteria. Prokaryotes are unicellular organisms having no organelles, nuclear membrane, or even true nucleus so how do they function? Instead, they have a single chromosome which is a piece of that circular DNA. Well, all cells no matter what still have DNA that makes the nucleus the brain so that means the cell can still function without a nucleus if it has DNA.
Eukaryotic Cell DNA: Eukaryotic DNA is a double-stranded present that may be in mitochondrial, cytoplasm, or chloroplast, circularly or linearly. The most widely studied types of eukaryotic DNA are indeed may be A DNA, B DNA, C DNA, and Z DNA.

a) A DNA:

It is a right-handed double helix DNA.
The diameter of the double helix is approximately =26 angstrom.
The pitch of the double helix is approximately =28 angstrom.
No: of base pairs per helix is 11.

b) B DNA:

It was the first DNA, which was examined. It is right-handed helix DNA.
The diameter of the double helix is approximately=20 angstroms.
Pitch of the double helix is approximate = 34 angstroms.
No: of base pairs per helix is 10.

c) C DNA:

It is also right-handed double helix DNA.
The diameter of the double helix is approximately=20 angstrom.
Pitch of the double helix is approximately =31 angstrom.
No: of base pairs per helix = 9.3

d) Z DNA:

It is left-handed double helix DNA.
The diameter of the double helix is approximate = 15 angstroms.
Pitch of the double helix is approximate = 45 angstroms.
No: of base pairs is 12.

Properties Of DNA:

1) Molecular Weight: It is 660g/mol:

How to Calculate The Average Molecular Weight Of DNA?

The number of base pairs should be multiplied by the average molecular mass of one base pair (660g/mole) and then you will get an approximate mass of the whole double-stranded DNA molecule.

If the DNA is single-stranded, then multiply the no: of bases by the average mass of a single base (330g/mole), to get the approximate mass of the whole molecule.

2) Double-Stranded:

The structure of DNA is the dynamic along its length, being capable of coiling in tight loops. It is composed of two helical chains bound by chemical interaction called Hydrogen Bond with each other. Both chains coiled in the same axis and the same pitch of 34 angstroms. The radius of chain pairs is 10 angstroms.

a) Base Pairing: The opposite strands of double helix DNA forms chemical bonding with each other, in between bases are pairing complementary called Base Pairing. It is important because it allows the semi-conservative replication of DNA.

b) Base Stacking: The bases in DNA are planar and to the tent to stack by major stacking forces, hydrophobic interactions, and Van der Waals forces.

c) Complementary Strands: The sequence on one strand of DNA should have a perfect match with the sequence of the one strand of DNA.

d) Antiparallel Strands: The two polynucleotide strands of DNA runs antiparallel to each other with nitrogenous bases directed inward, which responsible for DNA's double helix structure.

Where is DNA found in our body?

Deoxyribonucleic acid is contained inside the nucleus of a cell in the twisted ladder form. It is organized into 46 pieces referred to as "Chromosomes". Its location may be changed According to the type of cell-like prokaryotic cells have cytoplasmic DNA and eukaryotic cells contain mitochondrial, nuclear, and chloroplasts DNA.

What is the amount of DNA present in the human body?

DNA is present in every cell of the human body except red blood cells. Each cell contains roughly 2 meters of DNA, containing 3 billion base pairs approximately. The human body is made up of uncountable cells. If you unraveled all the DNA from all your cell and stretched it out end to end, it would stretch to the sun and back several times.

What is the role of DNA?

Role of DNA:

Deoxyribonucleic acid performs principal functions that can be included following.

Stored genetic information: The main function of DNA is to store genetic information for long-termed.
Replication: It is important to transfer the genetic information through, it can make carbon copies.
Recombination: It is one of the important functions of DNA in which DNA breaks into pieces and recombined to give new combinations of genes during meiosis.
Mutation: It is the process of changes in the structure of DNA, which gives variation and evolution in different features.
Transcription: It is the hetero-catalytic activity of DNA in which RNA forms from DNA.
Cellular Metabolism: DNA controls cellular metabolism by activating or non-activating the genes. DNA does this activity by RNA.
Differentiation: This activity of DNA is responsible for different features in different organisms.
Development: DNA also controls development by the internal genetic clock with or without the help of intrinsic information.
Translation: Synthesis of proteins by DNA occur in two sequences, Transcription and Translation, After the formation of RNA by transcription, it carries the message for making specific protein out in the cytoplasm.

Why DNA is so important?

As we know, DNA is vital for all living organisms even for plants. It is very important to move forward in life with the growing process. For that reproduction, and variation of cells are essential for, DNA is responsible.

It allows us to run, think, digest, etc. It's your genetic coding that determines how our body looks, and functions. Whilst also separates you from other human beings. Each of your body cells divides into the next two new cells by sharing its DNA. Sometimes, there are errors in sharing which leads to variations in DNA letter sequences called "Single Nucleotide Polymorphism".

This variation can result in different proteins being created. It determines the biological difference between each human being or even plants. Different variations in genetics can determine things like whether you are likely to have a food intolerance, vitamin deficiency, and what type of skincare products can work for you.

If you know which gene has changed, you can make your life revamp, and healthy. That's why DNA is so important.

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