Consider the sequence 3'-ACGCTACGTC-5'.

What is the total number of noncovalent bonds joining the nucleotides of the complementary strands?

Key Concepts

Complementary Base Pairing

In DNA, nucleotides pair specifically: adenine (A) with thymine (T) and cytosine (C) with guanine (G). This complementary base pairing is crucial for the formation of the double helix structure of DNA, where each base on one strand forms hydrogen bonds with its complementary base on the opposite strand.

Noncovalent Bonds

Noncovalent bonds, such as hydrogen bonds and ionic interactions, are essential for stabilizing the structure of DNA. In the context of DNA strands, hydrogen bonds between complementary bases hold the two strands together, while covalent bonds form the backbone of each strand. Understanding the number of noncovalent bonds helps in analyzing the stability of the DNA molecule.

Counting Hydrogen Bonds

Each pair of complementary bases in DNA forms a specific number of hydrogen bonds: A-T pairs form two hydrogen bonds, while C-G pairs form three. To determine the total number of noncovalent bonds in a given DNA sequence, one must identify the base pairs and sum the hydrogen bonds accordingly, reflecting the overall stability of the DNA structure.