2007-01-12 00:55:54 · 14 answers · asked by jean philippe j 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Biology
The DNA is a code that tells what proteins are made by the cell and provides the information for every protein, RNA and tissue in our bodies. It's like the "master plan" that makes us who we are.
2007-01-12 00:58:26 · answer #1 · answered by btpage0630 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is the hereditary material in humans and almost all other organisms. Nearly every cell in a person’s body has the same DNA. Most DNA is located in the cell nucleus (where it is called nuclear DNA), but a small amount of DNA can also be found in the mitochondria (where it is called mitochondrial DNA or mtDNA).
The information in DNA is stored as a code made up of four chemical bases: adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), and thymine (T). Human DNA consists of about 3 billion bases, and more than 99 percent of those bases are the same in all people. The order, or sequence, of these bases determines the information available for building and maintaining an organism, similar to the way in which letters of the alphabet appear in a certain order to form words and sentences.
DNA bases pair up with each other, A with T and C with G, to form units called base pairs. Each base is also attached to a sugar molecule and a phosphate molecule. Together, a base, sugar, and phosphate are called a nucleotide. Nucleotides are arranged in two long strands that form a spiral called a double helix. The structure of the double helix is somewhat like a ladder, with the base pairs forming the ladder’s rungs and the sugar and phosphate molecules forming the vertical sidepieces of the ladder.
An important property of DNA is that it can replicate, or make copies of itself. Each strand of DNA in the double helix can serve as a pattern for duplicating the sequence of bases. This is critical when cells divide because each new cell needs to have an exact copy of the DNA present in the old cell.
2007-01-12 09:00:20 · answer #2 · answered by phillylady4u 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
DNA is the basic form of living things that contain variety of information for growth, fertilization and other biological activities.it can replicate for growth (mitosis) and fertilization (meiosis) and transcript into RNA to produce protein.
2007-01-12 09:40:00 · answer #3 · answered by meowpinkly 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
well, ask what it does not do..
it stores all the info for your body - your genetic info, lets say - your hair color, eye color, shape of your hands or your body, even your illnesses, whether you have any aptitude for a specific illness like cancer..
it has pages of functions..
you can also check wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DNA for some detailed information..
2007-01-12 09:06:47 · answer #4 · answered by _koray 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
DNA gives some characteristics to the living structures and causes animals to give their characteristics to their kids.
2007-01-12 09:00:43 · answer #5 · answered by Salih D 1 · 0⤊ 2⤋
they transfer characteristics from parent 2 the next generation.
2007-01-12 10:48:01 · answer #6 · answered by pithu is cool 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DNA
2007-01-12 08:58:08 · answer #7 · answered by Doodie 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
DNA identifies you. With out it you wouldnt be who you are.
2007-01-12 08:58:16 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
it has the traits of your mother and father.. we call that one genes.. dna is a doublehelix unlike RNA.. try to see more at www.wikipedia.com
2007-01-12 09:01:48 · answer #9 · answered by sweet sugar 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Is responsible for your characteristics.
2007-01-12 10:51:15 · answer #10 · answered by THE UNKNOWN 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋