The Chemical Basis of DNA Structure and Function

Abstract

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is the primary hereditary molecule in most living organisms and provides the molecular basis for storing, transmitting, and expressing genetic information. Its biological functions arise directly from its chemical structure, including the arrangement of nucleotides, phosphodiester bonds, complementary base pairing, hydrogen bonding, and the three-dimensional double helix. DNA chemistry also determines how the molecule can be replicated, repaired, modified, and recognized by proteins. This paper examines nine major dimensions of the chemical basis of DNA structure and function, including nucleotide composition, the double helix, base pairing, chemical stability, replication, repair, genetic information, epigenetic modification, and applications in modern molecular biology.