Deoxyribonucleic Acid DNA

What is DNA? It is the genetic material that makes up all cellular organisms and most viruses.

In the nucleus of every cell in a living organism. Where do you find DNA? In the nucleus of every cell in a living organism.

Does DNA have a special job? It is a molecule that provides instructions (blueprints) for building different pieces of a cell.

What does a DNA molecule look like? It takes on the form of a twisted ladder shape that scientists call a “double-helix”

Why are the rungs of the “double helix” of the DNA different colors? Each color represents a letter of the DNA alphabet: A, C, T, and G

Why are the rungs of the “double helix” of the DNA split? The DNA alphabet letters bond together: A always bonds with T C always bonds with G

What do the letters of the DNA alphabet represent? A = adenine T = thymine C = cytosine G = guanine These are all called BASES

Click on the Double-Helix to go to a web site where you can build a DNA strand that contains five base pairs

Discovering DNA Structure Now we will explore the structure of DNA with an inquiry activity.

(Click on this bag of popcorn to view the movie.) Now that you have learned a little about DNA why not watch an interactivemovie that features DNA? (Click on this bag of popcorn to view the movie.)

Now that you are a DNA expert it’s time to explore some web resources that feature DNA and the role DNA plays in genetics. Click on the Genetic Science Learning Center logo to access their web site.