deoxyribonucleic
Double helix descriptor
Deoxyribonucleic appears almost exclusively in the phrase deoxyribonucleic acid, the full name of DNA—the molecule that carries genetic information in living organisms.
The word breaks down to describe DNA's chemical structure: it's a nucleic acid (like RNA) that contains deoxyribose sugar rather than ribose.
Outside scientific writing, DNA dominates.
Purine nucleobase in DNA
- thymineDNA nitrogen base
- cytosinePyrimidine nucleobase in genetics
- guaninePurine nucleobase in DNA
- backboneVertebral column, or courage
hydrogen-bonding · biomolecule · purine · pyrimidine · macromolecule · pentose
Organism's total hereditary material
- genesUnits of heredity
- chromosomesGene-bearing nuclear structures
- allelesVariant forms of genes
- mutationPermanent DNA alteration
genotype · phenotype · heredity · replication · transcription · translation · codons · sequencing
DNA base pairing model
- antiparallelParallel but opposite-facing
- twistRotating motion or surprise
- chromatinNuclear protein-wrapped genetic material
- nucleosomeHistone-DNA complex
histone · coiling · unwinding · tertiary · secondary · complementary
Central controlling part
- cellBasic unit of life
- mitochondrialOf cell's energy centers
- chloroplastLight-harvesting cell structure
- prokaryoticLacking membrane-enclosed organelles
eukaryotic · ribosome · cytoplasm · organelle · mitosis · meiosis
adenine
Purine nucleobase in DNA
backbone · hydrogen-bonding · biomolecule · purine · pyrimidine · macromolecule · pentose
genome
Organism's total hereditary material
- genesUnits of heredity
- chromosomesGene-bearing nuclear structures
- allelesVariant forms of genes
mutation · genotype · phenotype · heredity · replication · transcription · translation · codons · sequencing · loci
Watson-Crick
DNA base pairing model
- antiparallelParallel but opposite-facing
- twistRotating motion or surprise
- chromatinNuclear protein-wrapped genetic material
nucleosome · histone · coiling · unwinding · tertiary · secondary · complementary
nucleus
Central controlling part
- cellBasic unit of life
- mitochondrialOf cell's energy centers
- chloroplastLight-harvesting cell structure
prokaryotic · eukaryotic · ribosome · cytoplasm · organelle · mitosis · meiosis