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Ch.11 Nucleic Acids–Big Molecules with a Big Role
Chapter 7, Problem 11.24

List the mRNA bases that complement the bases A, T, G, and C in DNA.

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1
Identify the base pairing rules for DNA to mRNA transcription.
Recall that in DNA, adenine (A) pairs with thymine (T), and guanine (G) pairs with cytosine (C).
Understand that during transcription, DNA is used as a template to synthesize mRNA, where thymine (T) in DNA is replaced by uracil (U) in mRNA.
Apply the base pairing rules: A in DNA pairs with U in mRNA, T in DNA pairs with A in mRNA, G in DNA pairs with C in mRNA, and C in DNA pairs with G in mRNA.
List the mRNA bases that complement the DNA bases: A (DNA) with U (mRNA), T (DNA) with A (mRNA), G (DNA) with C (mRNA), and C (DNA) with G (mRNA).

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Key Concepts

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

Base Pairing Rules

Base pairing rules dictate how nucleotides in DNA and RNA pair with each other. In DNA, adenine (A) pairs with thymine (T), and guanine (G) pairs with cytosine (C). When transcribing DNA to mRNA, adenine pairs with uracil (U) instead of thymine, while cytosine, guanine, and thymine maintain their complementary relationships.
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Transcription Process

Transcription is the process by which the genetic information in DNA is copied into mRNA. During this process, RNA polymerase reads the DNA template strand and synthesizes a complementary mRNA strand. Understanding transcription is essential for identifying how DNA bases correspond to mRNA bases.
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Nucleotide Structure

Nucleotides are the building blocks of nucleic acids, consisting of a sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base. The specific arrangement of these bases (A, T, G, C in DNA; A, U, G, C in RNA) determines the genetic code. Recognizing the structure of nucleotides helps in understanding how they pair and form the genetic sequences in both DNA and RNA.
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