Dna is made of

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Understanding the Composition of DNA

DNA Structure: Nucleotides and Double Helix

DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is a molecule that carries the genetic instructions used in the growth, development, functioning, and reproduction of all known living organisms and many viruses. It is composed of two long strands forming a double helix, held together by hydrogen bonds between complementary bases Butola2016Frank-Kamenetskii1997. Each strand is made up of repeating units called nucleotides, which consist of a deoxyribose sugar, a phosphate group, and one of four nitrogenous bases: adenine (A), thymine (T), cytosine (C), and guanine (G) Roh2011Butola2016.

Nucleotides: The Building Blocks of DNA

Nucleotides are the basic building blocks of DNA. Each nucleotide includes a deoxyribose sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base. The sequence of these bases encodes genetic information. The four types of bases in DNA are adenine, thymine, cytosine, and guanine, which pair specifically (A with T and C with G) to form the rungs of the DNA double helix Butola2016Frank-Kamenetskii1997.

DNA as a Genetic Material

DNA is the hereditary material in almost all organisms. It contains the instructions needed for an organism to develop, survive, and reproduce. These instructions are passed down from parents to offspring, ensuring the continuity of genetic information across generations Mccarty2003Butola2016. The discovery that DNA is the material of inheritance was a pivotal moment in genetics, establishing DNA as the "stuff of life" .

DNA's Role Beyond Genetics: Polymeric Material

Beyond its genetic functions, DNA is also recognized as a polymeric material with unique properties. It can be engineered into various structures such as linear, branched, and networked forms, which have applications in nanotechnology, medicine, and biotechnology Roh2011Yang2014Dong2020. DNA's molecular recognition ability and biocompatibility make it a versatile building block for creating functional materials Yang2014Dong2020.

Artificial DNA: Expanding the Horizons

Researchers have developed artificial DNA made exclusively of nonnatural C-nucleosides, which can form stable duplexes and triplexes with thermal stabilities similar to natural DNA. This artificial DNA has potential applications in creating extracellular genetic systems for information storage and amplification .

DNA in Nanotechnology and Biotechnology

DNA's ability to form specific base pairs and its programmable sequence make it an excellent material for constructing nanoscale devices and materials. For instance, DNA can be used to create hydrogels, nanomechanical switches, and even molecular machines that operate using DNA as fuel Yang2014Yurke2000. These innovations bridge the gap between nanotechnology and biotechnology, leading to applications in diagnostics, drug delivery, and tissue engineering Yang2014Yurke2000Shi2023.

Conclusion

DNA is a remarkable molecule that serves as the genetic blueprint for life and a versatile material for scientific and technological applications. Its structure, composed of nucleotides forming a double helix, underpins its role in heredity and its potential in various fields of research and industry. As our understanding and manipulation of DNA continue to advance, its applications will likely expand, further bridging the realms of biology, chemistry, and engineering.

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Most relevant research papers on this topic

Engineering DNA-based functional materials.

DNA-based functional materials show promise for nanotechnology, medicine, and biotechnology due to their engineering methods and potential real-world applications.

Highly Cited

2011·

232citations

·Y. Roh et al.

Chemical Society reviews·

DOI

Artificial DNA made exclusively of nonnatural C-nucleosides with four types of nonnatural bases.

Artificial DNA made of nonnatural C-nucleosides shows potential for future extracellular genetic systems with information storage and amplifiable abilities.

2008·

62citations

·Y. Doi et al.

Journal of the American Chemical Society·

DOI

DNA materials: bridging nanotechnology and biotechnology.

DNA materials bridge the gap between nanotechnology and biotechnology, offering potential for diverse real-world applications in diagnostics, protein production, controlled drug release systems, and plasmonics.

Highly Cited

2014·

241citations

·Dayong Yang et al.

Accounts of chemical research·

DOI

Discovering genes are made of DNA

Maclyn McCarty, the sole surviving member of the team that discovered DNA as the material of inheritance in 1944, recalls the times and the impact of the double helix on modern genetics.

2003·

28citations

·M. Mccarty

Nature·

DOI

A DNA-fuelled molecular machine made of DNA

A DNA machine, shaped like a pair of tweezers, can be used as both a structural material and as 'fuel', enabling nanoscale construction and active devices.

Highly Cited

2000·

2133citations

·B. Yurke et al.

Nature·

DOI

DNA Functional Materials Assembled from Branched DNA: Design, Synthesis, and Applications.

Branched DNA functional materials offer versatile building blocks for biomaterials, with potential applications in diagnostics, protein engineering, drug delivery, therapeutics, and cell engineering.

Highly Cited

2020·

381citations

·Yuhang Dong et al.

Chemical reviews·

DOI

Chemical Structure of DNA

DNA molecule is made up of deoxyribose sugar and two polynucleotide chains, each containing four different types of nucleotide subunits.

2016·

2citations

·Varsha Butola et al.

Research and Reviews: Journal of Chemistry

DNA Materials Assembled from One DNA Strand

DNA materials constructed from one DNA strand can save time and cost, and avoid defects in final assemblies, potentially promoting large-scale production and practical applications.

2023·

5citations

·Jiezhong Shi et al.

International Journal of Molecular Sciences·

DOI

Controlled assembly of dendrimer-like DNA

Controlled assembly of dendrimer-like DNA from Y-shaped DNA is a robust and efficient method for creating stable, monodisperse DNA-based materials with potential for DNA computing and nanotechnology.

Highly Cited

2003·

426citations

·Yougen Li et al.

Nature Materials·

DOI

Biophysics of the DNA molecule

DNA plays a crucial role in all living organisms because it is the key molecule responsible for storage, duplication, and realization of genetic information. DNA is a heteropolymeric molecule consisting of residues (nucleotides) of four types, A, T, C and G. Fig. 1 shows the chemical structure of the DNA single strand and the complementary base pairs. The genetic message is “written down” in the form of continuous text consisting of four letters (DNA nucleotides A, G, T and C). This continuous text, however, is subdivided, in its biological meaning, into sections. The most significant sections are genes, parts of DNA, which carry information about the sequence of amino acids in proteins. The importance of the DNA molecule cannot be overestimated. It is therefore natural that the molecule has been attracting attention not only of biologists and physicians but also of chemists and physicists, even theorists (for a popular introduction into the field of DNA science, see, e.g., Frank-Kamenetskii, 1993; 1997). For more than forty years already, the DNA molecule has been a subject of biophysical studies. Many outstanding physicists, who made their names in various areas of traditional physics, mostly in solid state physics, contributed by studying DNA. I.M. Lifshitz did not publish many papers about DNA. Nevertheless, his role in directing attention of physicists toward DNA biophysics was very significant, especially in the USSR. Although I had been already in the field when Lifshitz stormed it in mid-1960s I also experienced profound influence of his personality and style. Due to his enthusiasm and indisputable reputation among Soviet physicists, DNA and protein biophysics temporarily became a focus of attention of the Soviet physics community. This community was a unique phenomenon in the world of science. Due to I.M. Lifshitz, I had an opportunity to present my work on DNA topology at the famous

Highly Cited

1997·

102citations

·M. Frank-Kamenetskii

Physics Reports·

DOI

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