The Structure of DNA

Learning Intentions
• Extract DNA from strawberries
• Describe the structure of DNA
Think, Pair, Share

What do you
already know
about DNA?
 DNA Structure

• Deoxyribo Nucleic Acid

• One molecule of DNA, consists of
• 2 strands of repeating units called
nucleotides
• The 2 strands are twisted into a double
helix
 DNA: The monomers

• Deoxyribonucleic acid
• Made up of lots of nucleotides joined
together.

Phosphate A nitrogenous base

Ribose sugar (RNA)

Deoxyribose sugar (DNA)
 DNA: The bases

There are 4 different bases

• Guanine
• Cytosine
• Adenine
• Thymine

Adenine and Guanine are Purine bases.

Cytosine, Thymine and Uracil are Pyramidine bases.
DNA: The sugar phosphate backbone
DNA is a polymer of mononucleotides.
Mononucleotides join together between the
phosphate of one nucleotide and the
phosphate group of the adjoining nucleotide.

Really strong bond

DNA: A polynucleotide
The sugar and phosphate units
make up the “backbone” of the
nucleic acid.

one nucleotide

A base is attached to each sugar

molecule.
 DNA: Base pairing
• The two strands of the double helix are held
together by hydrogen bonds between the bases.
• Hydrogen bonds are singularly very weak but
collectively can be very strong.
 DNA: Specific base pairing

In DNA Adenine always pairs with Thymine

(A-T)

In DNA Guanine always pairs with Cytosine (C-

G)
DNA: Complementary base pairing

Adenine pairs with Thymine

A T

Guanine pairs with Cytosine

G C

T A
A and T are complimentary base pairs.

C G
C and G are complimentary base pairs.

T A
Double helix structure of
DNA
3D model of DNA double helix
 What is the function of DNA
• Heredity material responsible for passing
genetic information from cell to cell.

How is it adapted to do its job?

• Stable
• 2 strands can separate so it can self-
replicate.
• Large molecule that carries LOTS of
information
• Base pairing prevents corruption from outside
chemicals or physical forces.
DNA: The Watson and Crick Hypothesis

Rosalind Franklin IN the

early 1950’s showed that
phosphate groups of DNA
must lie on the outside of
the molecule.

•Watson and Crick put

forward the possible
structure of DNA in 1953.
They were awarded a Nobel
prize in 1962.