DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is the genetic material that carries traits such as hair and eye color from one generation to the next. It also provides instructions for the body’s functions.
DNA is found in the nucleus of almost every cell in the body. It is comprised of four building blocks called nucleotide bases: adenine (A), thymine (T), cytosine (C), and guanine (G). These bases are arranged in specific sequences that determine how we look and how our bodies work.
A DNA molecule, often referred to as a double helix, resembles a twisted ladder. The two sides of the ladder are made up of the nucleotide bases (A, T, C, and G), and the rungs of the ladder are hydrogen bonds that connect the complementary bases on each side.
We inherit our DNA from our biological parents. Through the egg and sperm cells, each biological parent contributes one-half of the resulting child’s total genetic profile. Because DNA is inherited in this way, it can be examined to verify an individual’s paternity, maternity, or other family relationships.
