Lesson Activity 5.

1: DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) Structure and Functions

Purpose: To determine the structure of a DNA molecule and to discover its functions.

Background:

DNA stands for deoxyribonucleic acid. DNA is the genetic material found in the nucleus of
most cells. The building blocks of DNA is nucleotides. There are four different nucleotides that
make up DNA. You will analyze and manipulate the nucleotides in this activity to discover
the structure of DNA.

Materials:
Paper models including 12 nucleotides: 2 Adenine (A), 4 Cytosine (C), 4 Guanine (G), 2
Thymine (T), see the paper models on pages 3-6, print these pages so you can make
your DNA paper model.
Scotch tape (transparent or any adhesive tapes available), coloring materials

Procedure:
Part A: Setup
1. Color the nucleotides the following colors:
a. Adenine – pink/red
b. Cytosine – blue
c. Guanine – green
d. Thymine – yellow
2. Cut out the nucleotides.

Part B: Components of DNA

2. What are the building blocks of DNA?

3. Where in most cells is the DNA found?

4. Look at the 12 different nucleotides in the cut-out activity, what are the three parts
(components) in a nucleotide?

5. What two parts are identical between all the pieces?

6. What is the ONE part of a nucleotide that is DIFFERENT among the nucleotides? (Hint:
look at the shape).

7. List the letters for the four nitrogen bases: ____, _____, _____. These letters stand for
adenine, thymine, guanine, and cytosine

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Part B: Structure of DNA

8. Now work on and arrange all 12 of your nucleotides like a puzzle until you find the best fit.
Make sure all the words are facing up (do not turn your nucleotides over so you cannot
see the text anymore). Some words may be upside down though.

Your completed model should look like a ladder. Besides being shaped like a ladder, a
DNA molecule is twisted. It looks like a spiral staircase. However, your paper model cannot
show this shape.

9. If DNA is “ladder-like,” which two molecules of a nucleotide form the sides or upright
portion of the ladder?

10. Which molecules form the rungs or center part of the ladder?

11. What letters pair with one another?

This kind of pairing is called complementary. The attraction between two nitrogen bases is called
base pairing.

12. Practice: If the following are the bases on the left side of a DNA molecule. List the
bases that would make up the right side of a DNA molecule.

A T C G A C C G A A

13. Look at the strands your classmates have created. Do they have the same order as
you? (Yes__/No__)

This is what makes us all-different is the order of the bases. We all have the same four nucleotides
in our DNA but the order they are in is different!

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