Komplementtisäie

Komplementtisäie refers to the complementary strand in a DNA or RNA molecule. In DNA, the two strands run antiparallel, meaning they are oriented in opposite directions. Adenine (A) on one strand always pairs with thymine (T) on the other, and guanine (G) always pairs with cytosine (C). These base pairing rules are fundamental to DNA replication and transcription. For example, if one DNA strand has the sequence 5'-ATGC-3', its complementary strand will have the sequence 3'-TACG-5'.

In RNA, uracil (U) replaces thymine (T). So, if a DNA template strand has the sequence 5'-ATGC-3', the transcribed RNA molecule will have the complementary sequence 3'-UACG-5'. The concept of a complementary strand is crucial for understanding how genetic information is copied and expressed. It ensures fidelity during replication and is the basis for molecular hybridization techniques used in various biological and diagnostic applications. Understanding the complementary strand allows scientists to predict the sequence of one strand if the other is known, or to design probes for detecting specific nucleic acid sequences.