Page 41 - Miracles Within the Molecule

(Side) Image of DNA dou ble helix
taken with a col ored micro graph
(STM)

The mol e cu les com pris ing DNA are attached with a
hydro gen bond. The mirac u lous func tions that the
DNA mol e cule per forms result to a large extent from
the flex i bil i ty of these hydro gen bonds.

Nitrogen base
Phosphate
group Nucleotides attach to pol ym ers via
cova lent bonds by way of sugar
and phos phate groups. A water
Sugar group
mol e cule is released dur ing this
reac tion.
Hydrogen bonds

DNA STRUCTURE

The cova lent ly bond ed pol y mer and
sugar groups form the back bone of
Dehydration DNA. Their nitro gen bases extend
reac tion
inwards. Here, a great many weak
hydro gen bonds link the two halves of
the helix.

Double helix

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