Double helix

Term (Greek hélix = coil, screw, cylindrical spiral, helix) for the DNA structure (see there) in the cell of an organism, which can be imagined as a conductor. Two individual strands twisted around each other are connected by hydrogen bonds between the bases adenine and thymine or cytosine and guanine (base pairs). The two sides of the conductors (the rods) are called "strands". The entire strand in a cell is called a chromosome. The number of chromosomes in a cell varies from organism to organism; in humans this is 2 x 23 = 46, in chimpanzees 2 x 24 = 48 and in most grapevine genotypes (Vitis vinifera and others) 2 x 19 = 38.

DNA - Doppel-Helix

These consist of phosphoric acid and sugar molecules (deoxyribose), i.e. the four bases adenine, guanine, cytosine and thymine. Two opposite bases are called a base pair. A base pair is the smallest unit of information in DNA. The connection of the pairs is the "rung" of the ladder, whereby there are only two different pairs that fit together like a lock and key. A and T form one pair and C and G form the other pair. A nucleotide is made up of one base, one sugar and one phosphorus. The picture shows a tiny section of a double helix.

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Double helix

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