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Kami Export - ALEXA CADENA - Copy of 04 DNA Structure - POGIL

The document summarizes the structure and replication of DNA. It describes DNA as containing the genetic blueprint for life stored in deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) molecules. The structure of DNA allows it to accurately copy itself through a ladder-like double helix formation. DNA is made up of nucleotides, each containing a phosphate group, deoxyribose sugar, and one of four nitrogen bases - adenine, thymine, guanine, or cytosine. The bases bond together in a complementary pairing between strands with adenine bonding to thymine and guanine bonding to cytosine. This allows the DNA helix to replicate accurately by separating and using each strand as a template to assemble a new complementary strand.

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250 views2 pages

Kami Export - ALEXA CADENA - Copy of 04 DNA Structure - POGIL

The document summarizes the structure and replication of DNA. It describes DNA as containing the genetic blueprint for life stored in deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) molecules. The structure of DNA allows it to accurately copy itself through a ladder-like double helix formation. DNA is made up of nucleotides, each containing a phosphate group, deoxyribose sugar, and one of four nitrogen bases - adenine, thymine, guanine, or cytosine. The bases bond together in a complementary pairing between strands with adenine bonding to thymine and guanine bonding to cytosine. This allows the DNA helix to replicate accurately by separating and using each strand as a template to assemble a new complementary strand.

Uploaded by

ALEXA CADENA
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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DNA Structure and Replication

How is genetic information stored and copied?


Why?
Deoxyribonucleic acid or DNA is the molecule of heredity. It contains the genetic blueprint for life.
For organisms to grow and repair damaged cells, each cell must be capable of accurately copying
itself. So how does the structure of DNA allow it to copy itself so accurately?

Model 1 – The Structure of DNA

Nitrogen Bases

Adenine

Thymine

Guanine

Cytosine

1. Refer to the diagram in Model 1.


a. What are the three parts of a nucleotide?
phosphate, deoxyribose sugar, nitrogen containing base

sugar, phosphate, base

b. What kind of sugar is found in a nucleotide?


ribose (deoxyribose) sugar
c. Which nucleotide component contains nitrogen?
the bases
d. Name the four nitrogen bases shown in Model 1.
adenine, thymine, guanine, cytosine
2. DNA is often drawn in a “ladder model.” Locate this drawing in Model 1.
a. Circle a single nucleotide on each side of the ladder model of DNA.
b. What part(s) of the nucleotides make up the rungs of the “ladder”?
the bases
c. What parts of the nucleotides make up the sides (backbone) of the “ladder”?
the phosphate and the sugar
d. Look at the bottom and top of the “ladder” in Model 1. Are the rungs parallel (the
ends of the strands match) or antiparallel (the ends of the strands are opposites)?
they are antiparallel
3. On the ladder model of DNA label each of the bases with the letter A, T, C or G.

4. Refer to Model 1. When one nucleotide contains adenine, what type of base is the adenine
attached to on the opposite nucleotide strand?
thymine
5. The two strands of DNA are held together with hydrogen bonds between the nitrogen
bases. These are weak bonds between polar molecules. How many hydrogen bonds connect
the two bases from Question 4?
two

6. Refer to Model 1. When one nucleotide contains cytosine, what type of base is the cytosine
attached to on the opposite nucleotide strand?
guanine
7. How many hydrogen bonds connect the two bases from Question 6?
three

8. With your group, use a complete sentence to write a rule for how the bases are arranged in
the ladder model of DNA.

the order is adenine, thymine, guanine and cytosine so think of "apple tree"(adenine, thymine)
and "great colors" ( Guanine, cytosine)
Read This!

Erwin Chargaff (1905–2002), an Austrian-American biochemist, investigated the ratio of nucleotide


bases found in the DNA from a variety of organisms. From his research, as well as research by
Rosalind Franklin and Maurice Wilkins, Watson and Crick developed the complementary
base-pair rule during their race to discover the structure of DNA. The complementary base-pair
rule states that adenine and thymine form pairs across two strands, and guanine and cytosine form
pairs across two strands.

9. Fill in the complementary bases on the strand below according to the base-pair rule.
A T C C A G
a g g t c
t
10. The ladder model of DNA is a simplified representation of the actual structure and shape
of a DNA molecule. In reality, the strands of DNA form adouble helix. Refer to the
double helix diagram in Model 1 and describe its shape using a complete sentence.

the shape of the double helix diagram is like a twisted ladder in a helix like shape

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