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Ch.4 - Nucleic Acids and the RNA World
Chapter 4, Problem 6

If nucleotides from the DNA of a human were quantified and 30 percent of them contained the base adenine, what percentage of them would contain the base guanine? a. 20 percent b. 30 percent c. 40 percent d. 70 percent

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Step 1: Understand the structure of DNA. DNA is made up of four types of nucleotides: adenine (A), thymine (T), guanine (G), and cytosine (C). In a DNA molecule, adenine always pairs with thymine, and guanine always pairs with cytosine. This is known as the base pairing rule.
Step 2: Apply the base pairing rule to the problem. If 30 percent of the nucleotides contain the base adenine, then 30 percent of them must also contain the base thymine, because adenine and thymine always pair together.
Step 3: Calculate the remaining percentage of nucleotides. If 30 percent contain adenine and 30 percent contain thymine, that accounts for 60 percent of the total nucleotides. Therefore, the remaining 40 percent must be split evenly between guanine and cytosine, because of the base pairing rule.
Step 4: Determine the percentage of nucleotides that contain the base guanine. Since the remaining 40 percent of nucleotides is split evenly between guanine and cytosine, 20 percent of the nucleotides must contain the base guanine.
Step 5: The answer is a. 20 percent.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Base Pairing Rules

In DNA, the base pairing rules dictate that adenine (A) pairs with thymine (T), and guanine (G) pairs with cytosine (C). This means that the amount of adenine in a DNA molecule is equal to the amount of thymine, while the amount of guanine is equal to the amount of cytosine. Understanding these rules is essential for determining the proportions of the different bases in a DNA sample.
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Chargaff's Rules

Chargaff's Rules

Chargaff's rules state that in any given DNA molecule, the ratio of adenine to thymine and the ratio of guanine to cytosine are equal. This principle helps in predicting the composition of DNA based on the known percentages of one or more bases. For example, if 30% of the nucleotides are adenine, then 30% must also be thymine, which influences the percentages of guanine and cytosine.
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Chargaff's Rules

Percentage Calculation in DNA

To find the percentage of guanine in the DNA, one must first account for the known percentages of adenine and thymine. Given that adenine is 30%, thymine will also be 30%, totaling 60%. The remaining 40% must then be split equally between guanine and cytosine, leading to a conclusion that guanine constitutes 20% of the total nucleotides.
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DNA Polymerases
Related Practice
Textbook Question

Evaluate the following statements related to the synthesis of nucleic acids. Select True or False for each statement. T/F Ribonucleotides are added to the 3′ end of a DNA strand. T/F Polymerization of nucleic acids occurs by the formation of phosphodiester bonds. T/F Complementary pairing between sugars is required for copying nucleic acids. T/F Strands in a double helix are synthesized in an antiparallel orientation.

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Textbook Question

Single strands of nucleic acids are directional, meaning that there are two different ends. What functional groups define the two different ends of a strand?

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Textbook Question

What is responsible for the increased stability of DNA compared to RNA?

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Textbook Question

What would be the sequence of the strand of DNA that is made from the following template: 5′-GATATCGAT-3′? (Your answer must be written 5'→3'.) How would the sequence be different if RNA were made from this DNA template?

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Textbook Question

According to the RNA world model, a ribozyme would replicate by creating a double-stranded RNA intermediate. Would you expect the intermediate to have the same catalytic activity as the original ribozyme? Justify your answer with an explanation.

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Textbook Question

Make a concept map (see BioSkills 12) that relates DNA's primary structure to its secondary structure. Your diagram should include deoxyribonucleotides, base-stacking interactions, purines, pyrimidines, phosphodiester linkages, DNA's primary structure, DNA's secondary structure, complementary base pairing, and antiparallel double helix.

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