Why is DNA with a high GC content more difficult to denature than that with a low GC content?

Question

Biology

Mckenna

31 March, 09:47

Why is DNA with a high GC content more difficult to denature than that with a low GC content?

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Answers (1)

Know the Answer?

Casey Weber · Answer 1

Due to the presence of three hydrogen bonds.

Explanation:

DNA or deoxyriboucleic acid is made up of polymers of nucleotide. The single nucleotide consists of a nitrogenous base, a pentose deoxyribose sugar and a phosphate group.

The nitrogenous bases are adenine, guanine, thymine and cytosine. Adenine is bonded with thymine with two hydrogen bonds whereas cytosine is bonded with guanine with three hydrogen bonds. Three hydrogen bonds are difficult to break as compared with two hydrogen bonds. Hence, DNA with more GC content is difficult to denature.