deoxyribonukleovou

Deoxyribonucleic acid, commonly known as DNA, is a 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 chains. Each chain consists of a sequence of nucleotide bases. These bases are adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), and thymine (T). The two strands are held together by hydrogen bonds between complementary bases, with A always pairing with T, and G always pairing with C. This specific pairing is known as complementary base pairing.

The sequence of these bases along the DNA molecule encodes the genetic information. This information is organized into segments called genes, which typically provide the instructions for building specific proteins. Proteins, in turn, perform a vast array of functions within a cell, determining an organism's traits. DNA is found primarily in the nucleus of eukaryotic cells, although a small amount is also present in mitochondria. In prokaryotic cells, which lack a nucleus, the DNA is located in a region called the nucleoid. The structure of DNA was famously elucidated by James Watson and Francis Crick in 1953, building on the work of Rosalind Franklin and Maurice Wilkins. This discovery revolutionized our understanding of biology and genetics.