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Ch.17 Nucleic Acids and Protein Synthesis
Timberlake - Chemistry: An Introduction to General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry 13th Edition
Timberlake13th EditionChemistry: An Introduction to General, Organic, and Biological ChemistryISBN: 9780134421353Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 17, Problem 27d

Write the base sequence in a complementary DNA segment if each original segment has the following base sequence:
d. C T G T A T A C G T T A

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1
Step 1: Understand the concept of complementary base pairing in DNA. In DNA, adenine (A) pairs with thymine (T), and cytosine (C) pairs with guanine (G). This is due to the specific hydrogen bonding between these bases.
Step 2: Write down the original DNA sequence provided: C T G T A T A C G T T A.
Step 3: For each base in the original sequence, determine its complementary base using the base pairing rules: C pairs with G, T pairs with A, G pairs with C, and A pairs with T.
Step 4: Replace each base in the original sequence with its complementary base to construct the complementary DNA strand. For example, the first base 'C' in the original sequence will be replaced with 'G' in the complementary strand.
Step 5: Write the final complementary DNA sequence by combining all the complementary bases in the correct order.

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Key Concepts

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

DNA Base Pairing

DNA base pairing is the principle that describes how nucleotides in a DNA strand pair with complementary nucleotides in another strand. Adenine (A) pairs with Thymine (T), and Cytosine (C) pairs with Guanine (G). This complementary nature is crucial for DNA replication and transcription, ensuring genetic information is accurately copied and expressed.
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Complementary DNA Strand

A complementary DNA strand is formed by pairing each nucleotide of the original DNA sequence with its corresponding partner. For example, if the original strand has a Cytosine (C), the complementary strand will have a Guanine (G). Understanding how to derive the complementary sequence is essential for tasks such as DNA replication and genetic analysis.
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5' to 3' Directionality

DNA strands have directionality, indicated as 5' to 3'. This refers to the orientation of the sugar-phosphate backbone, where the 5' end has a phosphate group and the 3' end has a hydroxyl group. When writing complementary sequences, it is important to maintain this directionality, as DNA polymerases synthesize new strands in the 5' to 3' direction.
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