Base Pairing

What are the two types of nitrogenous bases found in DNA?

Purines and Pyrimidines

What bases are classified as purines in DNA?

Adenine (A) and Guanine (G)

What bases are classified as pyrimidines in DNA?

Thymine (T) and Cytosine (C)

Which base in DNA pairs with Adenine (A)?

Thymine (T)

How many hydrogen bonds form between Adenine (A) and Thymine (T)?

Two hydrogen bonds

Which base in DNA pairs with Guanine (G)?

Cytosine (C)

How many hydrogen bonds form between Guanine (G) and Cytosine (C)?

Three hydrogen bonds

What do Chargaff's Rules state about base pairing in DNA?

The amount of Adenine (A) equals Thymine (T), and the amount of Guanine (G) equals Cytosine (C).

What is the significance of hydrogen bonds in DNA?

They allow the DNA strands to 'unzip' for replication and transcription while providing stability to the double helix.

What is the term for the process by which DNA makes identical copies of itself?

Semiconservative replication

What role do mutations play in DNA?

Errors in base pairing can lead to mutations, which cells can repair to maintain genetic integrity.

What is the importance of maintaining uniform base pair size in DNA?

It ensures the consistent width of the DNA double helix.

How does base pairing relate to evolution?

The conserved nature of base pairing across life forms provides evidence for a common ancestry of life.

What replaces Thymine (T) in RNA?

Uracil (U)