DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is a molecule that carries the genetic instructions used in the growth,

development, functioning, and reproduction of all known living organisms and many viruses. It is a nucleic
acid, one of the four major types of macromolecules that are vital for all forms of life.

The structure of DNA is famously known as a double helix, first identified by James Watson and Francis
Crick in 1953. This double helix looks like a twisted ladder, where the sides of the ladder are made of
sugar (deoxyribose) and phosphate molecules, and the rungs consist of nitrogenous bases. There are four
types of bases in DNA: adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G), and thymine (T). These bases pair in specific
ways: A with T, and C with G.

DNA sequences are the instructions for building and maintaining an organism. These sequences are 'read'
or transcribed into RNA (ribonucleic acid) and then translated into proteins. Proteins are essential for
various functions in an organism, including structure, function, and regulation of tissues and organs.

In eukaryotic cells (like those in humans), DNA is located in the cell nucleus, with a small amount also
present in mitochondria and chloroplasts. In prokaryotic cells (like bacteria), DNA is not enclosed in a
membranous envelope.

Genetic information in DNA is stored as a code made up of the four bases. The order of these bases
determines the information available for building and maintaining an organism, similar to the way in
which letters of the alphabet appear in a certain order to form words and sentences.

Understanding DNA has revolutionized biology and medicine. It has led to the development of genetic
engineering, DNA fingerprinting for forensic purposes, and the diagnosis and treatment of genetic
disorders. Additionally, the study of DNA plays a crucial role in biotechnology, genetics, forensics, and
evolutionary biology.