How Many DNA in 1 Chromosome

Introduction

The body of a human is made up of both living and nonliving components. It also includes living cells, tissue, and organs. Also, our body is made up of billions of cells. A single cell divides itself to make all of the cells in our body. The DNA, genes, and chromosomes work together to tell the body how to form and function. In any living component, there exists a molecule called DNA. DNA is deoxyribonucleic acid. We will learn in detail about what DNA is.

DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid)

Every cell of a living organism consists of a molecule called DNA. The scientific name of DNA is deoxyribonucleic acid. DNA helps in reproduction. Also, it helps the cells make proteins, which help them survive. DNA consists of units of biological building blocks called nucleotides. Each human being looks different from other human beings because of this DNA, as DNA contains our hereditary materials and our genes.

DNA has one of the important properties to replicate or make copies of itself. DNA helps an organism grow, develop, and reproduce. A child inherits half of his DNA from his father and one-half from his mother.

Structure of DNA

A DNA molecule is made up of a collection of nucleotides. Nucleotides consist of Nucleoside and Phosphate and are the building blocks of Nucleic acid.

Each Nucleotide consist of the following three components:

• a phosphate group

• a sugar

• a nitrogen base

Let's look at the components of nucleotides in brief:

Sugar:

• Sugar in DNA is called 2-deoxyribose.

• The sugar molecules are connected alternatively with the phosphate groups which make up the backbone of the DNA strand.

• Also, each sugar molecule has a nitrogen base attached to it.

• Majorly there are four types of nitrogen bases in DNA that are adenine(A), cytosine(C), guanine(G), and thymine(T).

Phosphate group:

• PO43- is the phosphate group.

• In the Phosphate group, one atom of phosphorus is connected to 4 atoms of oxygen.

• Also, one atom of oxygen is connected to 5-carbon in the sugar.

• The phosphorus atom is the central atom in the phosphate group.

Nitrogenous Base:

• It includes purines and pyrimidines.

• Purines are adenine(A) and cytosine(C).

• Pyrimidines are Cytosine, thymine, and uracil.

Genes

• The building blocks of our body.

• It gives instructions to make protein.

• The basic job of protein is to tell our body what will shape, size, hair, eye colour and other physical characteristics.

• There are on average 20,000 to 25,000 genes in our body.

What are Chromosomes?

The thread-like structures made up of a single molecule of DNA and protein are called chromosomes. It carries genomic information from cell to cell and generally resides in the nucleus of a cell.

In the case of humans, there are 22 pairs of numbered chromosomes and one pair of sex chromosomes (XX or XY). We can see the chromosomes through the microscope when the nucleus dissolves during cell division. The children inherit half their chromosomes from their mother and half from their father.

There is a constriction point in each chromosome called the centromere, which divides the chromosome into two sections, or ‘arms’. The short arm of the chromosome is called the ‘p’ arm, and the long arm of the chromosome is called the ‘q’ arm.

DNA in 1 Chromosome

Each chromosome is made up of a single molecule of DNA. It is a long, linear DNA molecule. This DNA molecule is composed of about 50 million nucleotide pairs in the smallest human chromosomes and about 250 million nucleotide pairs in the largest human chromosomes.

Also, a single chromosome consists of two strands of DNA in a double helix. These strands of DNA are made by joining together the 4 DNA bases in strings.

Conclusion

Let’s discuss what we've learned:

• DNA is Deoxyribonucleic Acid.

• DNA helps the cells to make proteins.

• DNA contains our hereditary materials and genes.

• Genes are the basic building blocks of our body.

• DNA molecule is made up of a collection of nucleotides.

• Nucleotides consist of the sugar, nitrogenous base, and phosphate group as their basic components.

• Chromosomes are thread-like structures made up of a single molecule of DNA and protein.

• A single chromosome consists of two strands of DNA in a double helix.