What is the shape of DNA?

Study for the Campbell Biology Concepts and Connections Test. Explore flashcards and multiple-choice questions, complete with hints and explanations. Prepare for your success!

Multiple Choice

What is the shape of DNA?

Explanation:
DNA is a double helix. It consists of two long sugar-phosphate backbones that run in opposite directions and twist around one another, with the bases pairing between strands (A with T, C with G) through hydrogen bonds. This arrangement forms a stable, right-handed coil of uniform width that can be unwound for replication and transcription. The double-helix model explains how genetic information is securely stored yet accessible to the cellular machinery. While some DNA can be circular or linear in different contexts, the classic and most informative shape is the double helix.

DNA is a double helix. It consists of two long sugar-phosphate backbones that run in opposite directions and twist around one another, with the bases pairing between strands (A with T, C with G) through hydrogen bonds. This arrangement forms a stable, right-handed coil of uniform width that can be unwound for replication and transcription. The double-helix model explains how genetic information is securely stored yet accessible to the cellular machinery. While some DNA can be circular or linear in different contexts, the classic and most informative shape is the double helix.

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