DNAmolekyylistä

DNAmolekyylistä is the Finnish term for the DNA molecule. DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is a fundamental molecule that carries the genetic instructions for the development, functioning, growth, and reproduction of all known organisms and many viruses. It is a double helix structure composed of two polynucleotide strands. Each strand is a polymer of nucleotides. A nucleotide consists of a deoxyribose sugar, a phosphate group, and one of four nitrogenous bases: adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), and thymine (T).

The two strands of DNA are held together by hydrogen bonds between complementary bases: adenine pairs with thymine (A-T), and guanine pairs with cytosine (G-C). This complementary base pairing is crucial for DNA replication and transcription. The sequence of these bases along the DNA molecule encodes genetic information. Genes, segments of DNA, contain the instructions for building proteins, which perform a vast array of functions within cells. DNA is organized into chromosomes within the nucleus of eukaryotic cells. Its stable structure and ability to replicate accurately make it an ideal molecule for storing and transmitting hereditary information across generations.