• Question: How do you form DNA?

    Asked by Pepe 15 to Ben, Lizzie, Francis, Max, Sian on 12 Mar 2018.
    • Photo: Ben Mulhearn

      Ben Mulhearn answered on 12 Mar 2018:

      Good question!
      DNA is made up of two different parts. The backbone is made up of a sugar molecule called deoxyribose, made up with bases, which are like the letters of a 4-letter alphabet (A, C, T, G). The backbone holds the letters together in a spiral shape, whereas the letters make up the genetic code.

    • Photo: Francis Man

      Francis Man answered on 12 Mar 2018:

      T=The nucleotides (A, C, T, G) that Ben mentioned are mostly made in the liver, and they get recycled from “old” DNA as well.

    • Photo: Max Jamilly

      Max Jamilly answered on 12 Mar 2018:

      DNA is a long chain of building blocks, like beads on a string. Cells copy DNA in an incredible way by ‘unzipping’ the long molecule down the middle and copying both halves.

      In the lab, DNA is just another chemical. I worked at a company where we made it using a big machine and then put it into cells to see what would happen, a bit like programming a computer.

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