Structure of DNA

Question 1

Who discovered the structure of DNA?

Answer 1

Francis Crick and James Watson

Question 2

What four nucleotide bases make up DNA?

Answer 2

Thymine, Guanine, Adenine, Cytosine

Question 3

What type of unique structure does DNA have?

Answer 3

Double Helix

Question 4

How was the structure of DNA discovered?

Answer 4

The work of Rosalind Franklin, who used X-Ray diffraction to get a closer look at DNA, would lead to the discovery of the structure of DNA by Francis Crick and James Watson. Francis Crick and James Watson presented a model of DNA as a double helix structure; they figured out that the structure had a smooth sugar-phosphate backbone with two pieces of equal length that latched together with separate yet specific base pairs (Ex. Thymine-Adenine, Cytosine-Guanine).

Question 5

What does ‘DNA’ stand for?

Answer 5

Deoxyribonucleic acid

Question 6

What three parts make up a nucleotide?

Answer 6

A sugar, a phosphate, and a base

Question 7

What is a nucleoside?

Answer 7

A molecule made up of one of the four DNA bases covalently bonded to a sugar

Question 8

Purine

Answer 8

Two carbon nitrogen ring bases (Adenine & Guanine)

Question 9

Pyrimidine

Answer 9

One carbon nitrogen ring bases (Thymine & Adenine)

Question 10

How are DNA strands read?

Answer 10

From the 5’ end to the 3’ end

• The 5’ ends in a phosphate group
• The 3’ ends in a sugar molecule