Conquer the Kaplan Nursing Entrance 2026 – Prep, Practice, and Prosper!

The nature of DNA is best described as a double helix made of nucleotides. This structure consists of two long strands that twist around each other, resembling a spiral staircase. Each strand is composed of a sequence of nucleotides, which are the basic building blocks of DNA. Each nucleotide comprises a phosphate group, a sugar (deoxyribose), and a nitrogenous base (adenine, thymine, cytosine, or guanine).

This double helical structure is crucial for the storage of genetic information and allows for the precise replication of DNA during cell division. The complementary base pairing (adenine with thymine and cytosine with guanine) further stabilizes the structure and is fundamental to the mechanisms of genetic coding and expression. Understanding the double helix structure of DNA is essential for grasping principles of genetics, molecular biology, and the functioning of living organisms, given that DNA carries the instructions for the development and function of all known life forms.