Deoxyribonucleic Acid

Deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA, is one of the key molecules in living organisms. It contains the genetic information necessary for the development and functioning of all living things, from microbes to humans.

DNA is a macromolecule consisting of nucleotides. Each nucleotide is made up of three main components: a nitrogenous base, a sugar, and a phosphate. The four different nitrogenous bases that make up DNA are called adenine (A), thymine (T), guanine (G), and cytosine (C). Pairs of these bases form the rungs of the DNA ladder, maintaining its structure. Adenine combines with thymine, and guanine combines with cytosine.

The structure of DNA was discovered in 1953 by James Watson and Francis Crick. They proposed that the structure of DNA is a double helix, with each rung consisting of a pair of nitrogenous bases, and sugars and phosphates forming the “handles” of the ladder. This model has become the basis for understanding many DNA-related processes such as replication and transcription.

One of the key functions of DNA is to transfer genetic information from parents to offspring. Every organism inherits half of its DNA from its mother and half from its father. Changes in DNA can lead to disruption of cell function and ultimately to the development of diseases.

DNA also plays an important role in various processes within the cell, such as protein synthesis and regulation of gene expression. Thanks to these processes, cells can perform various functions and ensure the vital functions of the body as a whole.

Thus, deoxyribonucleic acid is one of the most important molecules in biology. Its structure and functions continue to be studied by scientists around the world, and this allows us to better understand the life processes occurring in cells and living organisms in general.

DNA literally means "deoxyribnucleic acid". This is a polymer of a complex molecule, containing two ribose sugar molecules connected by three carbohydrate residues and two nitrogenous bases - adenine, thymine, cytosine and guanine according to the principle of complementarity. The double strand of a DNA molecule has a double helix, and therefore this DNA is called double-stranded. It is from this nucleic acid that ribosomes (systems for protein synthesis) are formed and the transfer of hereditary properties from generation to generation is carried out. Currently in Geno