Deoxyribonucleic Acid

A DNA molecule has two chains of nucleotides and these are loosely held together by hydrogen bonds. These bonds link together each chain into a double helix which is like a ladder in appearance. The way this link together is called complimentary double base pairing e.g. one type of base attached to another. The DNA bases are what forms the genetic code. Three bases form one piece of the code and this is called a triplet code. Cells use the triplet code to make proteins in cell organelles (the main parts of the cell like the vacuole or chloroplast that perform a specific function) called ribosomes. Some of the proteins work to as enzymes to control the chemistry of the cell and this is how DNA controls the cell itself.

A living cell can copy its own DNA but to do so it needs nucleotides, special carrier molecules, some energy and some specific enzymes. This happens in cell divisions such as Mitosis which occurs when an organism is producing more cells and it's own are being replaced. The DNA of a chromosome un-attaches itself from the double-helix and is replicated. This is when complimentary base-pairing comes in helpful and allows the cell to copy itself. Knowing how DNA works allows scientists to alter or replicate certain cells to endless uses.