DNA Structure
- Title
- DNA Structure
- Description
DNA Structure
DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) is a double-helix molecule that carries genetic information in all living organisms.
Key Facts
- Discovery: Discovered in 1953 by James Watson and Francis Crick, building on X-ray crystallography data from Rosalind Franklin, Maurice Wilkins, and Raymond Gosling.
- Composition: Composed of four nucleotide bases: Adenine ($A$), Thymine ($T$), Guanine ($G$), and Cytosine ($C$).
- Base Pairing: $A$ pairs with $T$ (via two hydrogen bonds); $G$ pairs with $C$ (via three hydrogen bonds).
- Location: Principally located in the cell nucleus, with small amounts in mitochondria and chloroplasts (in plants).
- Genome Size: The human genome contains approximately $3 \times 10^9$ (3 billion) base pairs.
- Replication: DNA replicates semi-conservatively before cell division.
- Genes: Specific segments of DNA that encode proteins.
- Category
- Biology
- Year of Discovery/Development
- 1953
- Key Person/Organization
- James Watson & Francis Crick