DNA: the 'smartest' molecule in existence?
DNA is a macromolecular organic compound
belonging to the group of nucleic acids. It acts as the carrier of genetic information of living
organisms, including human, of course. The publication of its structure on the
25th of April 1953 was vital to understanding how it achieves this task with
such startling efficiency.
In fact, it's hard to think of another molecule that performs so many
intelligent functions so effortlessly. So what is it that makes DNA so smart?
DNA as a carrier of genetic information contains the information about
the structure of all proteins, and specifically with the sequence of amino
acids constituting them, which form the body. Recording amino acid sequence is
defined as the genetic code. This code consists of four types of nucleotides
that differ among them the presence of a suitable base. Reading the code takes
place in a continuous manner, are subsequently recognized nucleotide triplets.
Between these threes coded so there is no gap caused by mutations such as
falling out of one nucleotide sequence causes a read error.
It's the super-smart structure that makes this
easy. The 'rungs' of the DNA ladder are made from one of four nitrogen-based
molecules, commonly known as A, T, G and C. These form complementary pairs - A
always joins with T and G always joins with C.
DNA is one of the longest molecules in the
natural world. You possess enough DNA, stretched out in a line, to reach from
here to the sun and back more than 300 times. It is
located in the nucleus, may be more than 2 meters in length. There are specific proteins, around which DNA is wound,
reducing its length until 10,000 times.
Scientists are reporting evidence that c DNA
has the ability to recognize
similarities in other DNA strands from a distance. Somehow they are able to
identify one another, and the tiny bits of genetic material tend to congregate
with similar DNA. This recognition effect may help recombination of genes,
which is a process responsible for DNA repair, evolution, and genetic
diversity. The new findings may also shed light on ways to avoid recombination
errors, which are factors in cancer, aging, and other health issues.
Justyna Frąckiewicz
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