• Question: What is DNA made of?

    Asked by Owen the BOSS 10 to Aimee, Gemma, Hussain, Robert, Ross on 17 Nov 2015.
    • Photo: Robert Lees

      Robert Lees answered on 17 Nov 2015:

      DNA is made from quite complex molecules called ‘bases’, there are four main bases, cytosine, adenine, guanine and thymine. They pair together (cytosine (C) to thymine (T) and guanine (G) to adenine(A)) always in the same pairs. The bases also sit side-by-side in a chain, so if there was AGTC stuck together side-by-side, the other chain would be GACT (because of the base pairing). The structure of DNA is like a ladder, where each base-pair is a ‘rung’ on the ladder and each base is a join between the rung and the sides of the ladder.

      DNA bases can be ordered to create a ‘code’ to make all the things necessary for life to exist – it is one of the most amazing discoveries that I can think of. Very complex and beautifully well designed.

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