
What type of Bond holds DNA strands together?
Hydrogen bonds hold DNA strands together. Nitrogenous bases are between these two strands that link together in a specific manner with different types of hydrogen...
What is hydrogen bond in DNA?
Hydrogen Bond is a type of non-covalent bond between complementary base pairs of the DNA helix structure that shows Dipole-Dipole interactions. These bonds are very weak and non-covalent bonds, but provide great stability to the structure. It occurs between any two complementary nitrogenous bases of the two different DNA strands.
What type of bond forms the double helical structure of DNA?
Hydrogen bonds The hydrogen bonds between the base pairs form the double helical structure of DNA. There is no exchange or sharing of electrons in hydrogen bonds as seen in covalent or ionic bonds. Hydrogen bonds occur over short distances and can be easily formed and broken.
What type of bond links two nucleotides together?
This bond is the result of a condensation reaction between a hydroxyl (OH) group of two sugar groups and a phosphate group. This bond links two nucleotides together to form oligonucleotide polymers. It links a 3′ carbon to a 5′ carbon in a DNA strand.

What type of bond is formed between base pairs?
Hydrogen bonds. The hydrogen bonds between the base pairs form the double helical structure of DNA. There is no exchange or sharing of electrons in hydrogen bonds as seen in covalent or ionic bonds. Hydrogen bonds occur over short distances and can be easily formed and broken.
How many hydrogen bonds are formed in the A-T and C-G pairs?
A-T pair forms two hydrogen bonds, while C-G pair forms three. The sugar-phosphate chains form the backbone of the ladder-like DNA structure and these base pairs form the rungs. The width of each of these ‘rungs’ are the same as it involves one purine (A or G) and one pyrimidine (C or T) base.
What is the triphosphate group in a nucleotide?
In an unattached and free nucleotide, there is a triphosphate group on the 5’-carbon of the deoxyribose sugar. However, when a nucleotide is incorporated into a DNA strand, it loses two of the phosphate groups and only one phosphate group is added to the DNA strand.
How are nitrogenous bases spaced?
The nitrogenous bases stacked upon one another are spaced based on their van der Waals distance. Van der Waals distance is the distance at which two molecules are attracted to each other. If this distance reduces, the electrons of the two molecules may overlap causing repulsion.
How many strands are there in DNA?
DNA consists of two strands, that wind around each other. Each strand has repeating units of a nitrogenous base, deoxyribose sugar, and a phosphate group. There are several interactions present within a strand and between two strands that stabilize the DNA.
What are the bases of a nucleotide?
Based on which base is attached, the nucleotides are called 2’-deoxyadenosine triphosphate, 2’-deoxycytidine triphosphate, 2’-deoxyguanosine triphosphate, or 2’-deoxythymidine triphosphate. Each of these bases is connected to 1’-carbon of the deoxyribose sugar. In an unattached and free nucleotide, there is a triphosphate group on the 5’-carbon ...
What ion makes DNA unstable?
The electrostatic (ion-ion) repulsion of the negatively charged phosphates on the outside can make DNA potentially very unstable. However, magnesium ions (Mg2+) and cationic proteins along with arginine and lysine residues interact with the negatively charged groups in the DNA and stabilize it.
How many types of bonds are there in DNA?
There Are 3 Types Of Bonds In DNA Double Helix Structure. The DNA Double Helix Structure has two strands. Each strand is made up of a polynucleotide chain consisting of a Deoxyribose Pentose Sugar attached to Phosphate group with Nitrogenous bases (Adenine, Guanine, Cytosine, Thymine) being projected from the strand.
What type of bond is between a nitrogenous base and a sugar?
1. Glycosidic Bond: A Covalent Bond Between a Nitrogenous Base and Deoxyribose Pentose Sugar. A glycosidic bond is a type of covalent bond that joins a carbohydrate (sugar) molecule to another group, which may or may not be another carbohydrate. Here, in the case of DNA, the glycosidic bond is formed between the Deoxyribose Pentose Sugar ...
What is the phospho-diester bond?
In the case of DNA, the phospho-diester bond is a covalent bond in which a phosphate group (PO₄³⁻) joins adjacent carbons of the deoxyribose pentose sugar through ester linkages. This bond is the result of a condensation reaction between a hydroxyl (OH) group of two sugar groups and a phosphate group.
What is the nitrogen-carbon bond between the 9′ nitrogen of purine bases?
In DNA, glycosidic bond is the nitrogen-carbon linkage between the 9′ nitrogen of purine bases (Adenine/Guanine) or 1′ nitrogen of pyrimidine bases (Cytosine/Thymine) and the 1′ carbon of the deoxyribose sugar group.
What is the glycosidic bond?
Here, in the case of DNA, the glycosidic bond is formed between the Deoxyribose Pentose Sugar of the DNA strand with a Nitrogenous base (either Adenine, Guanine, Cytosine, or Thymine).
What is the bond that releases water?
N-Glycosid bond causes a condensation reaction, meaning that water is released. The releasing water includes the Hydroxyl (OH) group of the 1’C deoxyribose pentose sugar and the Hydrogen associated with the 9’N atom of the purine or the 1’N atom of the pyrimidine. 2.
Why is phospho diester bond called phospho diester bond?
Its called Phospho-diester bond because two nos. of Phospho-easter bond is created by one single phosphate group in order to join two pentose sugars together. A corresponding nucleotide is formed by the attachment of a phosphate group to the 5’C—OH of a nucleoside through phospho-easter linkage.

Covalent Bonds
Hydrogen Bonds
- The hydrogen bonds between the base pairs form the double helical structure of DNA. There is no exchange or sharing of electrons in hydrogen bonds as seen in covalent or ionic bonds. Hydrogen bonds occur over short distances and can be easily formed and broken. Although individually each hydrogen bond is much weaker than the covalent bond, they can...
Stacking Interactions
- a) Hydrophobic effects DNA has an interesting arrangement wherein the non-polar, uncharged bases are present in the interior of the structure, while the negatively charged phosphates are present on the outside. As the cellular environment is aqueous and polar, the hydrophobic bases in the interior of the helix are kept away from the surrounding water and the hydrophilic heads ar…
Further Reading