DNA structure

DNA structure is the arrangement of nucleotide units in DNA, most commonly two complementary strands wound into a double helix. Its sequence and geometry support genetic information storage and copying.

Nucleotide: A molecule containing a nitrogenous base, a five-carbon sugar, and one or more phosphate groups. Nucleotides are the repeating units joined to form each DNA strand.
DNA double helix: The structure formed by two DNA strands coiled around a shared axis. This is the characteristic three-dimensional arrangement of most cellular DNA.
Rosalind Franklin: A British chemist whose X-ray diffraction studies revealed key features of DNA structure. Her diffraction data constrained the helical model and its dimensions.
DNA replication: The biological process by which a DNA molecule is copied to produce two DNA molecules. Complementary strands provide templates for accurate copying of DNA sequence.
A-DNA: A right-handed DNA helix that is shorter and wider than the common B-DNA form. It shows that DNA’s helical geometry can shift with environmental conditions.
Deoxyribose: A five-carbon sugar in DNA whose 2′ carbon lacks the hydroxyl group found in ribose. Its sugar-phosphate linkages give DNA strands their backbone.
Hydrogen bond: An attraction between a hydrogen attached to an electronegative atom and another electronegative atom. Hydrogen bonds connect complementary bases across DNA’s paired strands.
Maurice Wilkins: A British physicist who used X-ray diffraction to study DNA at King’s College London. His DNA research formed part of the experimental context for the double-helix model.
Transcription: The synthesis of RNA from a DNA template by RNA polymerase. DNA sequence and local structure guide the production of RNA.
Z-DNA: A left-handed DNA helix with a zigzag-shaped sugar-phosphate backbone. Its opposite handedness contrasts with the familiar right-handed DNA helix.

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