»  What is DNA?  (Back)

DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is the foundation of life. It is a large chain of molecules in a sequence that is used as a blueprint for building cells and making them function. DNA is made from four molecules, called nucleotides. They are adenine (A), thymine (T), guanine (G), and cytosine (C). DNA is made of a chain of these nucleotides in a certain order with a complimentary chain of nucleotides on the other side. Picture a ladder in your mind with the chains of DNA being the upright rails and a different nucleotide at each rung. The 'rungs' in DNA are chemical bonds between the nucleotides of the two chains. DNA has a double-helix structure. Imagine twisting the ladder like a spiral staircase.

We recommend reading more about this at Wikipedia for a more thorough explanation at the link below. Perhaps there is more information there than you'd ever want!

Additional Information:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DNA   (opens in a new window)

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