DNA Structure - for parents and teachers

FOR PARENTS & TEACHERS

Related Pages:
DNA Replication P&T
DNA Genes P&T

Parent?
Try googling:
parent teaching resources
kitchen science
help kids learn
help your child to learn

Home
*
I Can Do That!
Cells
DNA
introduction
introduction for parents
genes
genes for parents
structure
structure for parents
replication
replication for parents
detail
detail for parents
RNA
Protein
Clones
*
Ask Dr. Pat
Science in the News

email us

Eureka ! Science products are specially designed teaching aids for science classes, homeschools and great for Science Fairs.

try our science kits
DNA:I Can Do That !
Pocket Science
Teacher's Cabinet

Ask Dr. Pat

Science News

DNA STRUCTURE: Page 1

gene saying hello.gif (9029 bytes)

Teachers, Students, Home School Scholars, and Inquiring Minds of all ages --

DNA is a long strand made up of 4 different nucleotides. The nucleotides are synthesized from 4 different 'bases' (adenine, thymine, cytosine, and quanine), sugar and phosphate.

The DNA double helix is often compared to a circular staircase. Once linked together in a strand of DNA, the sugar and phosphate form the 'handrails' of the double helix, while the bases form the 'stairsteps'.

Genes come in differing lengths and code for different proteins. Only a stretch of DNA that codes for a protein is called a 'gene'.

Other stretches of the DNA act as regulation sites to turn genes on or off.

The function of other stretches of DNA are not yet known to scientists.

DNA STRUCTURE: Page 1

DNA Structure Links of choice:
Biochemistry - DNA structure (textbook by Berg, Tymoczko, and Lubert) on the National Institutes of Health website
Wikipedia - DNA structure
DNA From the Very Beginning - concept = nonsense DNA
DNA From the Very Beginning - concept = gene regulation

Learn more! Google:
cell science projects
homework help
animal cells
cell models
science curriculum