What is the full form of DNA?
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What is the full form of DNA?
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The full form of DNA is Deoxyribonucleic Acid. It is a bunch of molecules that are responsible for transferring and carrying genetic materials from parents to children. It has a unique molecular structure composed of two Polynucleotide chains that coil around each other to form a double helix. The double helix is composed of monomeric units called nucleotides and each nucleotide is composed of one of four nitrogen which contains nucleobases (cytosine, guanine, adenine, or thymine ). Johannes Friedrich Miescher a swiss biologist first recognized DNA in 1869, during his work on white blood cells. later the double helix structure of a molecule of DNA was discovered by James Watson and Francis Crick using experimental proof.
Types of DNA
These are the different types of DNA:
A-DNA
It is a rare type of structure that a DND can adopt under dehydrating conditions, A-DNA has a double standard helical structure and similar to B-DNA.
Features of A-DNA
1. It is formed from B-DNA under dehydrating conditions
2. The diameter of the helix is 26A
3. A-DNA is smaller(20% to 25%) than B-DNA because of a smaller rise per turn
4. A-DNA has a hollow central core
5. The deoxyribose sugar in A-DNA in the form of C3
6. Glycosidic bond is in Anti-form
B-DNA
It is a common and dominant type of structural conformation of DNA in cells. It occurs under natural physiological conditions.
Features of B-DNA
1. Majority of DNA in the cell is B-DNA
2. It is a right-handed helix
3. Each pair has the same width
4. The helical diameter is 20A
5. Each turn of B-DNA is consist of 10 base pairs
6. It has a solid central core
7. Major groove is deep and wide
8. Narrow grove is narrow and deep
Z-DNA
It is a left-handed double-helical conformation DNA in which double helix form in Zig-Zag pattern. Z-DNA is the active form of DNA found in vivo in the cells.
Features of Z-DNA
1. The Z-DNA has a left-handed helical structure
2.The diameter is 18A
3. The length of helix turn is 44A
4. Each turn contains 12 nucleotides
5. Majore groove is less flat
6. Minor groove is narrow and deep
7. It has a solid core in the centre
Functions of DNA
1. DNA is the genetic material that contains all genetic information code in its nitrogen base structure.
2. It stores all the information needed to build and control the cell and transfer information from mother to daughter cell.
3.
DNA impacts metabolic responses of the cells with the guide of hormones, compounds, and explicit RNAs.
4. DNA replicated when cells from a duplicate copy of DNA, which result in the correct distribution of one DNA copy to each resulting cell.
