How Many Types of DNA are There

Introduction

DeoxyriboNucleic Acid or DNA is known as the hereditary material in the human body. Not only humans, even all other organisms have DeoxyriboNucleic Acid (DNA). Nearly each and every cell in an organism or human's body has the same DeoxyriboNucleic Acid (DNA).

The information in DeoxyriboNucleic Acid (DNA) is made up of four chemical bases and stored as a code:

• Adenine (A),

• Guanine (G),

• Cytosine (C), and

• Thymine (T)

Human DeoxyriboNucleic Acid (DNA) consists of about 3 hundred crore bases, and more than 99 per cent of those bases are exactly similar in all people. The sequence, or order, of these bases describes the information or data available for maintaining and building an organism or cell. We can correlate this pattern to our alphabetical appearance in a particular order to form words, sentences, paragraphs, and then an article.

DeoxyriboNucleic Acid (DNA) bases pair up with each other, like Cytosine (C) with Guanine (G) and Adenine (A) with Thymine (T), to form units called base pairs. Each base (Cytosine, Guanine, Adenine, Thymine) is also attached to a phosphate molecule and a sugar molecule. Together, a phosphate, sugar, and base are called a nucleotide. Arrangement of two long strands of nucleotides that form a spiral called a double helix. The structure of the double helix is like a ladder, with the ladder’s rungs as base pairs (Cytosine (C) with Guanine (G) and Adenine (A) with Thymine (T)) and vertical side pieces of the ladder as the sugar and phosphate molecules.

An important property of DeoxyriboNucleic Acid (DNA) is that it can make copies of itself, or replicate itself. Each strand of DeoxyriboNucleic Acid (DNA) in the double helix structure can serve as a pattern for duplicating the sequence of bases. This is crucial when cells divide and reproduce because each new reproduced cell needs to have an exact copy of the DeoxyriboNucleic Acid (DNA) present in the old parent cell.

DeoxyriboNucleic Acid (DNA) is a polymer which is composed of 2 polynucleotide chains coiled around each other forming a double helix structure. The double helix structure carries genetic instructions or information for the development, growth, functioning and reproduction of all known organisms, bacteria, species and many viruses. DeoxyriboNucleic Acid (DNA) and Ribonucleic acid (RNA) are two nucleic acids. Along with it, lipids, proteins, complex carbohydrates (polysaccharides), and nucleic acids are the four major types of macromolecules present in organisms that are essential for all known forms of life.

How Many Types of Dna are There

DNA is an organic polymeric compound which has a helix molecular structure. It is present in all eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells. Based on different characteristics of DeoxyriboNucleic Acid (DNA), there are 3 different types of DNA.

A-DNA: A-DNA is right-handed DeoxyriboNucleic Acid (DNA). Its structure is a double helix strand. This type of DNA is obtained by dehydration. The protein-binding surrounded by DNA helps to remove the solvent from DNA. And therefore, because of this protein-binding, it takes an A-form. This form of DNA type is mainly formed because it is able to protect the DeoxyriboNucleic Acid (DNA), though there are occurrences of extreme conditions like desiccation. This type of DNA is originally deduced from X-ray diffraction (XRD) of sodium salt of DNA fibres which is at 70 percent relative humidity.

B-DNA: B-type DNA is the most commonly found DeoxyriboNucleic Acid (DNA) conformation. Its structure consists of right-handed helix strands. Moreover it is common to observe that most DeoxyriboNucleic Acid (DNA) possesses a B-type conformation. This type of DNA is originally deduced from X-ray diffraction (XRD) of sodium salt of DNA fibres which is at 95 percent relative humidity.

Z-DNA: Z-type DNA type is left-handed DeoxyriboNucleic Acid (DNA). Its structure is a double helix, with a zig-zag pattern on the left. Andres Wang and Alexander Rich discovered the Z-type DNA. Z-type DNA is usually found during the start of the gene and therefore, plays a crucial role in regulating genes. This type of DNA is originally deduced from X-ray diffraction (XRD) of sodium salt of DNA fibres which is at 60 percent relative humidity.

Most of the DeoxyriboNucleic Acid (DNA) is present in the organism cell nucleus, which is known as the nuclear DeoxyriboNucleic Acid (DNA)). A small amount of DeoxyriboNucleic Acid (DNA) can also be found in the mitochondria, which is known as the mitochondrial DeoxyriboNucleic Acid (DNA) or mtDNA). Mitochondria are powerhouse of the cell; structures present within cells that convert the energy from food into usable energy.

Conclusion

So to conclude, on the basis of structure, there are three types of DeoxyriboNucleic Acid (DNA). A-type, B-type, Z-type. Based on the position of DNA, their classification is Nuclear DeoxyriboNucleic Acid (DNA) and Mitochondrial DeoxyriboNucleic Acid (DNA).

Z-type DeoxyriboNucleic Acid (DNA) is a left-handed double strand and the helix winding is to the left in a zig-zag manner whereas, A and B-DNA are right-handed DeoxyriboNucleic Acid (DNA). These differences in the forms of DNA are based on their structure and helix formation.

DNA is the hereditary material and functions as storing genetic information, directing protein synthesis, determining genetic coding and directly responsible for metabolism.