How does DNA work – Pink Zone

Alice Cardall answered on 5 Mar 2021:

Good question! DNA can be very complicated with lots of different things going on to make it work.

DNA is made up of something called nucleotides, that are read by specific molecules in the body.
There are 4 nucleotides and these are commonly referred to as A, T, C and G. The nucleotides are arranged in a very long sequence, and the order that they are arranged in will determine how the DNA works and what its function is.

Karen Burstow answered on 6 Mar 2021:

DNA is made up of small units called nucleotides, which are paired together to form a two stranded spiral, which is called a ‘double helix’. DNA carries instructions for development, functioning, growth and reproduction. Your DNA is used as the template to make single strands of nucleotides called RNA. The RNA is used to make strands of amino acids, which form specific proteins. These proteins can then do lots of different functions, like helping make new cells. DNA is very intricate and everyone’s DNA is slightly different. (Apart from identical twins who have the same DNA!)

Claire Price answered on 6 Mar 2021:

DNA is in each cell in the organism and tells cells what proteins to make. Mostly, these proteins are enzymes. An enzyme is a protein molecule in cells which works as a biological catalyst. Enzymes speed up chemical reactions in the body, but do not get used up in the process, therefore can be used over and over again.

Felicity Hunter answered on 8 Mar 2021:

Hi Nathaniel, excellent question! DNA, which stands for deoxyribonucleic acid, and is a molecule which looks like a twisted ladder called a ‘double helix’. You can think of your DNA as like a blueprint (or a set of instructions) for designing your body. But how does this twisted ladder molecule act as a blueprint? The stairs of the twisted DNA ladder are called ‘nucleotides’. There are four different types of nucleotides which are represented by their first letter: adenine (A), thymine (T), cytosine (C), and guanine (G). The four nucleotide letters appear in many different orders along the DNA ladder. Every three letters makes up a word called a ‘codon’. Since DNA molecules are thousands of letters longs, there can be billions and billions of different words made. For example, a string of codons may form a sentence which looks like this: ATG TGC CCA TAT AAC GAG. Your cells can then ‘read’ these instructions and make different types of proteins which are the building blocks of your body.

Jess Buddle answered on 8 Mar 2021:

Great question!
DNA is in all living organisms – from bacteria, animals, plants to humans. DNA is a string of information which can be “read” by special enzymes in the cell and be used to make proteins. These proteins allow the cell to survive and function, but also do cool things!
Different cells can produce different proteins and that gives them different functions.

Question: How does DNA work

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