Dna and Rna

DNA & RNA 1

DNA & RNA

By

Thomas Eyman

GS102

DNA & RNA 2

DNA and RNA are forms of nucleic acids. DNA is found inside the nucleus of the cell and contains all the genetic information for the cell. The shape is known as a double helix. There are two twisted supporting sides and “rungs” that are formed by complementary base pairs. There are four types of bases that are used to join the two sides of the DNA strand. These four bases are adenine, cytosine, guanine, and thymine (viz., A, C, G, T, respectively). The complementary binding bases are adenine and thymine, and cytosine and guanine. The bases are fused together through a hydrogen bond. The double helix is described as antiparallel because the two sides’ polarity runs in opposite directions. Finally, DNA contains the sugar deoxyribose.

RNA is similar to DNA in that it contains most of the same materials. RNA moves through to other cells in order to catalyze proteins. RNA is shaped like a comb, or half of the double helix shape. It has one long support (like half of the ladder) and has single bases attached to it, akin to the teeth on a comb. The bases that are found in RNA are adenine, cytosine, guanine, and uracil (viz., A, C, G, U, respectively). In contrast to DNA, the base uracil binds to adenine instead of thymine. Finally, the sugar that is found in RNA is called ribose, instead of the deoxyribose that is found in DNA.

Humans are made up of lots of little cells, and DNA is found within the nucleus of each cell. If humans were unicellular, then we would find only one central repository of DNA. However, since humans evolved into a...