Nucleic Acids
These are the molecules responsible for storing and translating genetic information in various living organisms. DNA is found in the cell nucleus and can be described as a double helix, consisting of two strands. It forms the chromosomes, which carry the physical and innate characteristics of living organisms. These chromosomes contain genes that carry specific genetic information. There are two main types of nucleic acids: deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA). This article will focus on the first type.
DNA
The word DNA is an abbreviation for deoxyribonucleic acid, which is the molecule that carries the genetic information in a cell from one generation to the next. Therefore, it is possible to determine a person's ancestry by analyzing their DNA, which can be obtained from a sample of blood, hair, nails, saliva, or oral cells.
Components of DNA
DNA can be described as a long, thin molecule made up of structures called nucleotides. These nucleotides are linked together by a backbone composed of phosphate and pentose sugars. Sometimes, nucleotides are called "bases." There are four main types of nucleotides:
Adenine (A)
Thymine (T)
Cytosine (C)
Guanine (G)
Function of DNA
Cells receive the instructions they need to perform their functions from DNA. DNA can be likened to a computer program, and the cell is the computer that needs to be run. The program gives the computer instructions on how to perform its functions. In simple terms, DNA stores genetic material and transmits hereditary traits from parents to grandparents.
Facts about DNA
Every person's DNA The DNA of the Earth is approximately 99.9% identical to that of other people, with only 0.1% differing from person to person. This difference is what makes individuals unique.
Dr. James Watson and Francis Crick discovered the double helix structure of DNA in 1953.
If all the DNA molecules in the body were unwound and stretched out in a straight line, they would reach the sun and back many times.
DNA was first identified and isolated as a separate molecule by the Swiss scientist Friedrich Miescher in 1869.