Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a very important molecule found in all living cells. It contains information used in everyday metabolism and growth and influences most of our characteristics.
DNA is often described as the blueprint of an organism. It enables various cells to develop and work together to form a fully functional body, and controls characteristics such as eye colour. How much DNA influences very complex features, such as intelligence, is not yet fully understood.
The information that DNA contains is passed from one generation to the next. There is much debate over how much of what we are like is due to inheritance and defined by our DNA, and how much is defined by the influence of the environment. This is sometimes referred to as the 'nature/nurture' debate.
Using gene technology, DNA can be modified or transferred from one organism to another. Genes are made up of short lengths of DNA and modern gene technology is able to make changes at the level of individual genes.
Surprisingly, while the DNA molecule is very long, it is stunningly simple. DNA looks like an incredibly long twisted ladder. This shape is called a double helix.
The sides of the ladder are a linked chain of alternating sugar and phosphate molecules. The rungs connect to the sugar molecules and are known as bases.
There are four bases - adenine (A), thymine (T), guanine (G) and cytosine (C). Each rung is made up of two bases that link together. Because of their chemical nature, A will only link with T and G will only link with C.
DNA from all living organisms is made of the same sugar and phosphate molecules and the same four bases. Whether DNA is in your cells, those of a cactus, of a worm or a bacterium, it is made of the same chemicals and has the same structure.
The only difference is the order or the sequence of the bases in the DNA molecule. It is this sequence that is referred to as the genetic code, and why it is sometimes called the code of life.
DNA is often described as the blueprint of an organism. It enables various cells to develop and work together to form a fully functional body, and controls characteristics such as eye colour. How much DNA influences very complex features, such as intelligence, is not yet fully understood.
The information that DNA contains is passed from one generation to the next. There is much debate over how much of what we are like is due to inheritance and defined by our DNA, and how much is defined by the influence of the environment. This is sometimes referred to as the 'nature/nurture' debate.
Using gene technology, DNA can be modified or transferred from one organism to another. Genes are made up of short lengths of DNA and modern gene technology is able to make changes at the level of individual genes.
Surprisingly, while the DNA molecule is very long, it is stunningly simple. DNA looks like an incredibly long twisted ladder. This shape is called a double helix.
The sides of the ladder are a linked chain of alternating sugar and phosphate molecules. The rungs connect to the sugar molecules and are known as bases.
There are four bases - adenine (A), thymine (T), guanine (G) and cytosine (C). Each rung is made up of two bases that link together. Because of their chemical nature, A will only link with T and G will only link with C.
DNA from all living organisms is made of the same sugar and phosphate molecules and the same four bases. Whether DNA is in your cells, those of a cactus, of a worm or a bacterium, it is made of the same chemicals and has the same structure.
The only difference is the order or the sequence of the bases in the DNA molecule. It is this sequence that is referred to as the genetic code, and why it is sometimes called the code of life.
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