deoksyribonukleinsyre

Deoxyribonucleic acid, commonly known as DNA, is a molecule that carries the genetic instructions used in the growth, development, functioning, and reproduction of all known living organisms and many viruses. DNA consists of two strands that coil around each other to form a double helix. Each strand is a long polymer of nucleotides. A nucleotide contains a deoxyribose sugar, a phosphate group, and one of four nitrogenous bases: adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), and thymine (T). The sequence of these bases along the DNA molecule encodes genetic information. The two strands of the DNA double helix are held together by hydrogen bonds between complementary bases, with adenine always pairing with thymine, and guanine always pairing with cytosine. This complementary base pairing is crucial for DNA replication, a process where the DNA molecule is copied before cell division, ensuring that each new cell receives a complete set of genetic instructions. DNA is organized into structures called chromosomes within the nucleus of eukaryotic cells. The arrangement and expression of genes encoded in DNA determine the traits of an organism.