How many hydrogen bonds are between Adenine and Thymine?
In DNA, Adenine (A) always pairs with Thymine (T) through hydrogen bonding
In DNA, Adenine (A) always pairs with Thymine (T) through hydrogen bonding. A hydrogen bond is formed when a hydrogen atom of one molecule is attracted to an electronegative atom (in this case, nitrogen) of another molecule. Adenine and Thymine form two hydrogen bonds between them.
The hydrogen bonds between Adenine and Thymine involve specific nitrogenous bases. Adenine has a nitrogenous base with two hydrogen bond donor groups (H-N-H) called amino groups, and Thymine has a nitrogenous base with one hydrogen bond acceptor group (N) called a carbonyl group.
These two hydrogen bond donor groups of Adenine form hydrogen bonds with the hydrogen bond acceptor group of Thymine, resulting in the formation of two hydrogen bonds. The specific interactions involve the following:
1) The amino group at position 1 of Adenine forms a hydrogen bond with the carbonyl group at position 2 of Thymine.
2) The amino group at position 6 of Adenine forms a hydrogen bond with the carbonyl group at position 4 of Thymine.
The formation of two hydrogen bonds between Adenine and Thymine helps stabilize the DNA double helix structure by holding the two strands together. This binding specificity, known as complementary base pairing, is a crucial aspect of DNA replication and transcription processes.
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