The DNA full form is __________.

The correct answer is Deoxyribonucleic Acid.

Key Points

• DNA stands for Deoxyribonucleic Acid, a molecule that carries genetic instructions for the development, functioning, growth, and reproduction of all known organisms and many viruses.
• It is composed of two strands that coil around each other to form a double helix structure, discovered by James Watson and Francis Crick in 1953.
• DNA is made up of units called nucleotides, each consisting of a sugar molecule (deoxyribose), a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base (adenine, thymine, cytosine, or guanine).
• DNA is found in the nucleus of eukaryotic cells and in the cytoplasm of prokaryotic cells, where it plays a crucial role in storing and transmitting genetic information.
• Its primary function is to encode the sequence of amino acids in proteins through processes like transcription and translation.

Additional Information

• Double Helix Structure
  • The double helix structure of DNA is stabilized by hydrogen bonds between complementary bases: adenine (A) pairs with thymine (T), and cytosine (C) pairs with guanine (G).
  • The strands are antiparallel, meaning one strand runs in the 5' to 3' direction and the other in the 3' to 5' direction.
• Replication
  • DNA replication is a biological process by which DNA makes a copy of itself during cell division.
  • It is a semi-conservative process, where each new DNA molecule consists of one original strand and one newly synthesized strand.
• Genes and Chromosomes
  • Genes are segments of DNA that contain the instructions for building proteins.
  • DNA is organized into structures called chromosomes; humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes in each cell.
• Mutations
  • Mutations are changes in the DNA sequence that can occur due to errors during replication or external factors like radiation and chemicals.
  • While some mutations can lead to genetic disorders, others may have no effect or even contribute to evolutionary changes.