DNA (DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACID)

The molecule that encodes the genetic information. DNA is a double-stranded molecule that is held together by weak bonds between base pairs of nucleotides to form a double helix. The four nucleotides in DNA contain the bases: adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine ©, and thymine(T). Base pairs form naturally only between A and T and between G and C so the base sequence of each single strand of DNA can be simply deduced from that of its partner strand. The code is in triplets such as ATG. The base sequence of that triplet in the partner strand is therefore TAC.