Question map
Which of the following features of DNA makes in uniquely suited to store and transmit genetic information from generation to generation ?
Explanation
The key feature that makes DNA uniquely suited to store and transmit genetic information is the strict complementarity of the two strands: each base on one strand pairs specifically with a single partner on the opposite strand, so each strand contains the information needed to reconstruct the other. This complementarity allows semiconservative replication in which each parental strand serves as a template for synthesis of a new complementary strand, ensuring high-fidelity transmission of sequence information to daughter cells [2]. While the double helix, sugar–phosphate backbone and helical geometry provide stability and structural context, it is the specific base-pair complementarity (A–T, G–C) that directly enables accurate copying and inheritance of genetic information.
Sources
- [1] https://www.genome.gov/genetics-glossary/Double-Helix
- [2] https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/dna-helix