3 short question, but please detailed answers so i can understand.
The nicleotide composition of a virus was measured in the lab and the results & analysis were:
A = 25%
T = 35%
G = 24%
C = 18%
1. Does the virus use DNA or RNA as it's genetic material, and how can you tell?
2. Does the composition of this virus's genetic material make sense when considering Chargaff's rules? How can one explain this?
2007-01-23 02:04:05 · 5 answers · asked by babes 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Biology
The virus has DNA as its genetic material, notice it has T's and not U's.
The virus uses single stranded DNA, not double stranded DNA (lots of them do). It doesn't have to follow Chargaff's rules if there is no base pairing.
2007-01-23 02:07:29 · answer #1 · answered by floundering penguins 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
1. The virus must use DNA, because RNA contains no Thymine. RNA has Uracil instead of Thymine
2. The genetic material must be single-stranded DNA (Viruses can have single or double stranded DNA or RNA as thir genetic material). SIngle stranded DNA does not have to obey Chargaff's rules as these only apply to double stranded DNA.
2007-01-23 10:14:08 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The virus uses RNA.
According to Chagraff's rules, in a DNA double helix, A on one side matches up with T on the other and C on one side matches up with G on the other. This is how you can tell the virus uses RNA-- if it used DNA, because of nucleotide pairing required to form the double helix, there would be equal amounts of A compared to T and C compared to G. Since the amounts are unequal, the virus must use RNA.
I don't think all RNA necessarily contains Uracil in place of Thymine, especially in primitive "cells" like viruses.
2007-01-23 10:16:12 · answer #3 · answered by ~*Bubbles*~ 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
I dont know the second answer, possibly because I dont have the lab in front of me but the answer to number one is DNA because it is using A, T, G, C which are symbols for the nucleotides Adenine, Thymine, Guanine, and Cytosine. Those are the make up of DNA. If it were RNA, the T or Thymine would be replaced with a U for... U______ something. I don't remember. Sorry I can't help with number two.
2007-01-23 10:08:35 · answer #4 · answered by Lindsey G 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
1. It uses DNA because there is thyamime not uracil
2. No because there is not an equal ratio between a purine and a pyrimidine. Tis could occur becasue of transformation.
2007-01-23 10:53:15 · answer #5 · answered by zp 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋