Describe how DNA is well-adapted to being a molecule for conserved information storage

DNA is a long, large molecule, which allows a lot of information to be stored within in. It has a sugar-phosphate backbone, which protects it from physical and chemical damage as the phospho-diester linkages are very strong. It contains many hydrogen bonds between the two strands of the molecule, and due to there being many bonds the molecule is very stable as breaking so many of them requires a lot of energy, but the hydrogen bonds also allow the strands to be "unzipped" to allow reading of the information. The double strands also allow semi-conservative replication, which means the information can be copied with minimal chance of corruption. Being made up of bases, the information is stored using a universal code, meaning it can be easily read.

Answered by Juliet E. Biology tutor

3575 Views

See similar Biology A Level tutors

Related Biology A Level answers

All answers ▸

Describe the structure of proteins


Why would someone's hand jerk back when they touch something hot?


What adaptions can a neurone have in order impulses to be transmitted faster?


In a population of deer there are two alleles, p and q. Individuals with allele p are faster than those with allele q and so are better at avoiding predation by wolves. Explain how natural selection will affect the characteristics of the deer population.


We're here to help

contact us iconContact usWhatsapp logoMessage us on Whatsapptelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo
Cookie Preferences