Base pair

In molecular biology, two nucleotides on opposite complementary DNA or RNA strands that are connected via hydrogen bonds are called a base pair (often abbreviated bp). As DNA is usually double-stranded, the number of base pairs in the dsDNA strand equals the number of nucleotides in one of the strands. In DNA, adenine and thymine, as well as guanine and cytosine, can be a base pair. In RNA, thymine is replaced by uracil.

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The following abbreviations are commonly used to describe the length of a DNA/RNA molecule:

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• kbp = kilo base pairs = 1,000 bp
• Mbp = mega base pairs = 1,000,000 bp
• Gbp = giga base pairs = 1,000,000,000 bp

In case of single stranded DNA/RNA we talk about nucleotides, abbreviated nt (or knt, Mnt, Gnt), rather than base pairs, as they are not paired.

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The following figure shows the chemical structures of properly base-paired nucleic acids.

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Chemical structure of base pair bonding

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Molecular biology: Molecular biology is the study of biology at a molecular level. The field overlaps with other areas of biology and chemistry, particularly genetics and biochemistry. Molecular biology chiefly concerns itself with understanding the interactions between the various systems of a cell, including the int...

Nucleotide: A nucleotide is a monomer or the structural unit of nucleotide chains forming nucleic acids as RNA and DNA. A nucleotide consists of a heterocyclic nucleobase, a pentose sugar (ribose or deoxiribose), and a phosphate or polyphosphate group. Nucleotides also play important roles in cellular energy t...

Complementary: REDIRECTComplementarity...

Base pair related Images and Photos (experimental)

pair-bonded	Bear Pair	Dolphin Pair	Pair of Pears
pair-bonded babydoll	Pair of Frogs I	A Pair o' Dice	Pair of Frogs II
Pair of Boots c.1887	First Pair Of Pants	Base of the Grizzly Giant	Vintage Bird Pair I