Deoxyribonucleic Acid

Exam I

    Deoxyribonucleic Acid, DNA, is the storage of genetic material that makes up most organisms. Something we all have in common, but the very thing that seperates us all. DNA contains four chemicals; adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), and thymine (T). When two of the four chemicals combine AT or GC, they create a base.  Along with sugar and phosphate, these three things together create a nucleotide. DNA is a long strand in the form of a double helix. The bases being in the middle of the two long strands of sugar and phosphate. If these are the only things DNA contains, then how does it seperate organisms? The bases are the cause, When adenine, guanine, cytosine, and thymine are arranged into bases, they are also placed in a different sequence running along the double helixs. Not to mention, some rely dormant, unlike others that are active. For example, humans and chimpanzees DNA are extraordinary similar, but we look and act nothing alike.

   Although it's most important feature is protein synthesis. DNA holds the blueprints to create certain proteins and how to build them. It is the key to the structure of organisms, and their total development.
  
   Another unique thing about DNA is it's ability to replicate itself. To pass the codes down and on for further use. The double helix splits, letting one strand of sugar and phosphate and the other to go different ways, each taking one chemical to the base that connected it. Then from previously created nucleotides, they attach to the polynucleotide that is seperating. Thus creating new DNA strands. When forming new polynucleotides sometimes an error will occur, one things get an A while it shouldve gotten a C, radiation, or something happens like being attacked. This is a mutation.

    A mutation can sometimes effect the organism. On the otherhand it may have no effect at all. Some may be good or bad. There have been cases where the good may be having a resistance to HIV. But others will have the opposite effect, or no effect at all. For instance, a limb forming the wrong way.

   DNA holds the key to how we develope. But scientists, and others, have been looking into altering the codes themselves. To manipulate someone that should have brown eyes, to have blue instead. This is just one of the simple things they could do if they achieve this.


http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/handbook/basics/dna
http://www.safety-identification-products.com/dna-history-information.html