Concept
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid, the double-helix molecule that carries the hereditary instructions of living organisms.
Updated Oct 31, 2026 · 1 min read · 4 connections
- Structure described
- 1953
- By
- Watson and Crick, using data from Rosalind Franklin
- Bases
- A, T, C, G
Structure
DNA is made of two strands wound into a double helix. Each strand is a sequence of four bases, and the bases pair across the strands. The order of bases stores instructions that are read through the genetic code.
Heredity and change
Copying errors and other mutations alter the sequence over generations, supplying the variation that drives evolution. Viewed through information theory, DNA is a highly compact storage medium.