The Double Helix

Instructions:-

The role of double helix in complimentary base pairing in DNA replication

Describe the role of double helix in complimentary base pairing in DNA replication. What does it mean when we say that the two strands of DNA in the double helix are antiparallel? What would the end of the double helix look like if the strands were parallel? Remember to cite any references you use in proper APA form

Solution

The Double Helix

The double helix allows complex hereditary information to be held stably, as well as be easy to duplicate. The double helix is made of a pair of nucleotide chains, each lined with bases, sugars, and phosphate. The two strands lock together by their bases bonding between them. The two nucleotide chains run antiparallel, essentially meaning they are parallel but their top and bottom sides are opposite each other. If they were to run parallel they would have both top-sides on one side and both bottom-sides on the other, which would make them unable to pair bases stably.

Ryan,

Greetings and thank you for sharing about the double helix in complimentary base pairing in DNA replication.  You mentioned that the information is held stably and easy to duplicate.  When I read that, I immediately thought about the Replication and the 3 steps included.  Separation is first of which the parents DNA unwinds, Complimentary base pairing is next and like you said it is stable, it is because of newly forming hydrogen bonds taking place that now finally Joining the newly paired bases which yields a new strand complementary to the parent strand now in the form of a double helix.  

 

Complimentary base pairing is really just the way that the different DNA molecules line up with each other using nitrogen bases.   In fact this complimentary base pairing is what gives us the structure of double stranded DNA.  DNA is made up of 4 different nucleotides: thymine which can only pair with a free adenine (AT, TA) and cytosine that can only pair with a free guanine (CG, GC).   In the reference, (Study/2016) explains pairing like matching 4 pair of shoes.  Each pair only has one mate and that left shoe just isn’t going to work without the right shoe.  Meaning that those particular nucleotides would only pair with those certain other nucleotides to achieve a DNA molecule that’s stable, this pairing was called Complimentary Base Pairing.  However with this pairing, it must be noted that pair has opposite or different chemical polarity and are numbered 1 thru 5 and run in opposite directions known as antiparallel.  If one strand goes 3’ to 5’ the opposite goes 5’ to 3’.  On that note, if the strands were parallel the DNA would not be right, therefore not forming the correct alternating bonds and strands would not fit with each other.

 

Taken from Complementary Base Pairing: Definition & Explanation, Chapter 16, Lesson 10 http://study.com/academy/lesson/complementary-base-pairing-definition-lesson-quiz.html

 

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