DNA Basics | Discovery Zone

What is DNA?

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DNA is like a recipe book inside every cell of your body! It tells your body how to grow, what color your eyes should be, and how tall you'll become.

Fun Fact: If you stretched out all the DNA in your body, it would reach the sun and back over 600 times!

The Four Letters of DNA

DNA uses only 4 letters to write all its instructions:

AAdenine

TThymine

GGuanine

CCytosine

Just like the alphabet makes words, these 4 letters make the instructions for life!

Best Friends: Base Pairs

The letters always pair up with their best friends:

A

T

A always pairs with T

G

C

G always pairs with C

The Famous Double Helix

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DNA looks like a twisted ladder called a double helix! The sides are made of sugar and the rungs are made of base pairs.

Fun Fact: Scientists James Watson and Francis Crick discovered this shape in 1953!

You're Amazing!

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Now you know the basics of DNA! Your DNA makes you unique - there's no one else exactly like you in the whole world!

Remember:
• DNA is your body's recipe book
• It uses 4 letters: A, T, G, C
• A pairs with T, G pairs with C
• It's shaped like a twisted ladder!