What is DNA

A little Genetics: What is DNA
Sources: the Family Tree Guide to DNA Testing and Genetic Genealogy by Blaine T. Bettinger, Page 14, 2016,
Trace Your Roots with DNA by Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak and Ann Turner, page 23, 2004

You do not need an advance degree in molecular biology or genetics to understand genetic genealogy. Not even a biology course, this is written for you without all of the scientific language getting in the way of understanding DNA. As I promise this blog is simple for you and offers no academic scholarly presentation.

DNA is the "Molecule of Life". DNA is short for DeoxyriboNucleic Acid (dee-ox-ee-rye-boh-new-clee-ic-acid). It's one of the most valuable components of your body. DNA is a very long skinny molecule as shown above. A molecule of DNA is composed of a string of millions of smaller units called nuceotides (nu-clee-tides). Description: Nucleotides- The building block of DNA, it comes in four types that pair up in specific ways: (A) Adeline, (C) Cytosine, (G) Guanine and (T) Thymine. I will discuss in more detail A, C, G and T. Right now, it is important to know two intertwined DNA molecules interact to form a single double-helix (see above) structure called a chromosomes in the nucleus-or control center-of the cell.

a normal human cell has ninety-two long molecules of DNA that pair up to form forty-six double-stranded chromosomes. Each of these, in turn, forms a chromosome pair with another similar-but not identical-chromosome, to create twenty-three different chromosome pairs.

In addition to the DNA in the nucelus, hundreds or thousands of copies of a very small circular strand of DNA are found in the many mitochondria. A tiny powerhouses of cells responsible for, among things, creating the energy our cells need to function.

More to come in the next five blogs.