Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) Explained to Students Essay

Exclusively available on Available only on IvyPanda® Made by Human No AI

Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) is a nucleic acid that carries the genetic information in the cells and normally its role is storage and can be compared with code or a secret number. It is responsible for the building of other cells as it contains the information and instructions needed to build other constituents of cells such as proteins and Ribonucleic acid. The DNA has components but the component that is responsible for ferrying the genetic information is known as genes. A gene is a sequence of DNA that contains genetic information and can influence an organism’s phenotype. The other parts are used in the regulation of this genetic information (Matt, 2006).

According to Robert (1974), chemically DNA is built of two repeating polymers /strands of simple units called nucleotides, which are made of sugars and phosphate groups that are held together by ester bonds and linked to bases. Each sugar is attached to 4 molecules known as bases. A base linked to a sugar is known as a nucleoside while a base linked to phosphate is known as a nucleotide. It is the sequence of these bases that encodes information. The backbone of DNA is made of alternating phosphate and sugar residues. These strands are antiparallel as they run in the opposite direction. Genetic information is read using the genetic code which specifically gives the sequence of amino acids within the proteins. The code is read through a process known as Transcription which is done by copying the stretches of DNA into the related nucleic acid RNA. (Robert, 1974).

In cells, DNA is organized into structures called chromosomes. Chromosomes duplicate before cells divide in a process called DNA replication (Andrew, 2003). In animals, plants and fungi (eukaryotes) DNA is found in the cell nucleus and occurs in a linear manner in the chromosome while in the prokaryotes (bacteria and arch ea) is found in the cell cytoplasm and in a circular manner in the chromosome. In the chromosomes, DNA is organized and compacted by chromatin proteins. The interaction of DNA and other proteins is guided by compact structures. In living organisms doesn’t exist as a single molecule but as an association of molecule pairs, all the functions of DNA depend on interaction with proteins (Andrew, 2003).

References

  1. Ridley Matt. (2006), Discoverer of the genetic code, Harper Collins Publishers
  2. Olby Robert (1974), The path of double Helix, Macmillan Publishers
  3. Andrew Calladine, (2003), understanding DNA, Elsevier Academic Press
More related papers Related Essay Examples
Cite This paper
You're welcome to use this sample in your assignment. Be sure to cite it correctly

Reference

IvyPanda. (2022, March 6). Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) Explained to Students. https://ivypanda.com/essays/deoxyribonucleic-acid-dna-explained-to-students/

Work Cited

"Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) Explained to Students." IvyPanda, 6 Mar. 2022, ivypanda.com/essays/deoxyribonucleic-acid-dna-explained-to-students/.

References

IvyPanda. (2022) 'Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) Explained to Students'. 6 March.

References

IvyPanda. 2022. "Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) Explained to Students." March 6, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/deoxyribonucleic-acid-dna-explained-to-students/.

1. IvyPanda. "Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) Explained to Students." March 6, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/deoxyribonucleic-acid-dna-explained-to-students/.


Bibliography


IvyPanda. "Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) Explained to Students." March 6, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/deoxyribonucleic-acid-dna-explained-to-students/.

If, for any reason, you believe that this content should not be published on our website, please request its removal.
Updated:
This academic paper example has been carefully picked, checked and refined by our editorial team.
No AI was involved: only quilified experts contributed.
You are free to use it for the following purposes:
  • To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
  • As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
  • As a template for you assignment
Privacy Settings

IvyPanda uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, enabling functionalities such as:

  • Basic site functions
  • Ensuring secure, safe transactions
  • Secure account login
  • Remembering account, browser, and regional preferences
  • Remembering privacy and security settings
  • Analyzing site traffic and usage
  • Personalized search, content, and recommendations
  • Displaying relevant, targeted ads on and off IvyPanda

Please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy for detailed information.

Required Cookies & Technologies
Always active

Certain technologies we use are essential for critical functions such as security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and ensuring the site operates correctly for browsing and transactions.

Site Customization

Cookies and similar technologies are used to enhance your experience by:

  • Remembering general and regional preferences
  • Personalizing content, search, recommendations, and offers

Some functions, such as personalized recommendations, account preferences, or localization, may not work correctly without these technologies. For more details, please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy.

Personalized Advertising

To enable personalized advertising (such as interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. These partners may have their own information collected about you. Turning off the personalized advertising setting won't stop you from seeing IvyPanda ads, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive.

Personalized advertising may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" of the information under California and other state privacy laws, and you may have the right to opt out. Turning off personalized advertising allows you to exercise your right to opt out. Learn more in IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy.

1 / 1