Question
Part A
DNA is a self-replicating molecule. What accounts for this important property of DNA?
Replication is thermodynamically spontaneous and requires no enzymes.
Its two strands are held together by easily broken covalent bonds.
The nitrogenous bases of the double helix are paired in specific combinations: A with T and G with C.
DNA is a self-replicating molecule. What accounts for this important property of DNA?
Replication is thermodynamically spontaneous and requires no enzymes.
Its two strands are held together by easily broken covalent bonds.
The nitrogenous bases of the double helix are paired in specific combinations: A with T and G with C.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The important property of DNA as a self-replicating molecule is primarily accounted for by the specific pairing of its nitrogenous bases in the double helix structure: adenine (A) pairs with thymine (T) and guanine (G) pairs with cytosine (C). This complementary base pairing allows each strand of the DNA double helix to serve as a template for the creation of a new, complementary strand during the replication process.
While replication involves enzymes and is indeed a thermodynamically favorable process, the key feature that allows for the precise replication of genetic information is the specific pairing of the nitrogenous bases. This ensures that the genetic code is accurately copied.
Therefore, the correct statement regarding the self-replicating property of DNA is:
**The nitrogenous bases of the double helix are paired in specific combinations: A with T and G with C.**
While replication involves enzymes and is indeed a thermodynamically favorable process, the key feature that allows for the precise replication of genetic information is the specific pairing of the nitrogenous bases. This ensures that the genetic code is accurately copied.
Therefore, the correct statement regarding the self-replicating property of DNA is:
**The nitrogenous bases of the double helix are paired in specific combinations: A with T and G with C.**