• Question: Why is DNA twisted?

    Asked by Elicabanas to Tom, Paul, Natasha, Ildiko, Ester, Eoin on 14 Nov 2017.
    • Photo: Eoin McKinney

      Eoin McKinney answered on 14 Nov 2017:

      it manages to squeeze a huge amount of material into a very small space, in part due to its twisty shape. Twisting also helps control which bits of DNA are switched on or off. Genes tend to unwind when they are switched on and wrap up again when they are switched off and this helps keep the cell under control.

    • Photo: Ildiko Somorjai

      Ildiko Somorjai answered on 14 Nov 2017:

      I think it is twisty because that is the shape that allows the strongest bonds between the hydrogens and bases

    • Photo: Natasha Myhill

      Natasha Myhill answered on 14 Nov 2017:

      Like Eoin says, by twisting itself up, DNA can compact into a really small molecule with a lot of information. If you took just one cell (invisible to our eyes) and unraveled the DNA, it would stretch out to about 2 meters long! If you took the DNA from your whole body and unraveled it, it would be about twice the diameter of the solar system. Thats insane!

    • Photo: Paul McKeegan

      Paul McKeegan answered on 14 Nov 2017:

      ยง

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