We have merely scratched the surface of the complicated molecule that is DNA. Proteins are extremely important for the survival of the body and you would be in big trouble if your cells couldn’t make proteins or accidentally made the wrong proteins. The genetic code in the genes and DNA tell the body how to make proteins. A fruit fly has four pairs of chromosomes, while a dog has 39 pairs. These base pairs are the reason why DNA is so important to life: the ordering of the base pairs results in a specific genetic code called a gene.ĭNA consists of many genes and is itself organized into structures known as chromosomes, of which humans have 23 pairs. You might remember the four bases from science class: adenine, thymine, guanine, and cytosine. The “rungs” of the ladder consist of base pairs of substances known as nitrogen bases. DNA is arranged in the shape of a double helix, which resembles a twisted ladder. Because most people are at least somewhat aware of DNA’s very important role in life, DNA has come to metaphorically refer to “the set of nongenetic traits, qualities, or features that characterize a person or thing.” For example, we would say a love of words is part of the DNA of .ĭNA is found in the nucleus of cells of all living organisms. To begin with, we must start with probably the best known of the three macromolecules (“big molecules”) we will be looking at today: DNA.ĭNA stands for “deoxyribonucleic acid.” DNA is a large, complex molecule that carries and passes down the genetic code that makes up all living organisms. If you’d like to know more about how the COVID-19 vaccines were tested for safety and approved, you can read about them in more detail as provided by the CDC and the WHO. What do all those letters in mRNA stand for? How is it different from RNA? For that matter, what even is RNA? Does it have anything to do with DNA? In this article, we will answer all of these questions.īut first, we should quickly answer the most pressing question you might have: is it safe to take the COVID-19 vaccines or any mRNA vaccine? The answer is “Yes.” The new COVID-19 vaccines have gone through the same rigorous testing process as every other vaccine, as will any new mRNA vaccines developed in the future. These incredible developments, naturally, have led many people to dust off those old biology textbooks and try to remember what they learned about mRNA back in Biology 101. Both the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and the Moderna vaccine use a relatively new technology that has been approved for the first time: mRNA vaccines. (The Oxford vaccine instead uses genetic material from what’s known as an adenovirus derived from chimpanzees.)Īrm yourself with more details about the Oxford vaccine known as ChAdOx1 nCoV-19. Fortunately, they haven’t all been bad: the virus led to the remarkable development of vaccines at a pace and scale the likes of which have never before been seen in history. This property of DNA is used in DNA finger printing, a technique used to identity an individual from his or her DNA.COVID-19 has set off many unprecedented events that will most likely change the world forever. Transcription: DNA produces RNAs (Ribonucleic Acid) through the process of transcription.Ĭellular Metabolism: It regulates the metabolic reactions of the cells with the help of enzymes, hormones and specific RNAs.ĭevelopment: It controls the development of organisms through internal genetic clock.ĭNA Finger Printing: Each individual has its own DNA sequence that does not match with others. It allows DNA transfer genetic information from old cells to new cells (from one generation to the next generation). Replication: DNA produces carbon copies through replication. Genetic Information: It carries genetic information from one generation to the next generation. Each strand of DNA serves as a template to form a new strand so that each new cell can have an exact copy of the DNA present in the old cell. The nucleotides lie adjacent to each other to form two long strands which entwine like vines to form a shape called double helix.ĭNA is known for its ability to replicate. The bases are attached to a sugar molecule and phosphate molecule to form nucleotides. The nitrogen bases pair with each other (A pairs with T, C pairs with G) to form base pairs. DNA is present in the nucleus of each cell of the body and the genetic instructions are stored in the form of codes made of 4 nitrogen bases Adenine (A), Cytosine (C), Guanine (G) and Thymine (T). These instructions are passed from one generation to the next generation. It contains the genetic instructions for the development and functioning of an organism. It is the hereditary material found in all living organisms. Next → ← prev What is the full form of DNA DNA: Deoxyribonucleic AcidĭNA stands for Deoxyribonucleic Acid.
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