Essay about DNA The Basis for Sustaining Life - 1334 Words

History of DNA Have you ever asked yourself â€Å"why my eyes are this color?â€Å" Have you questioned why you look the way you do? All of your physical features come from our genetics. Those genetics are family traits that are passed down through our individual bloodline. All of these individualities come from what is considered the fundamental building blocks of life, DNA. DeoxyriboNucleic Acid is the scientific name for DNA (SITE). A Swiss medical student named Johann Friedrich Miescher discovered DNA in 1868 (SITE). Miescher was investigating the white blood cells of pus from a surgical wound. It was there in these white blood cells that he found the â€Å"hot to manual† that defines what we look like. It is important to note, DNA is in†¦show more content†¦Individual DNA is created at the moment of conception and never changes throughout our lives. During conception a chemical known as nucleic acid is created and duplicates and divides itself an infinite number of times. Even through repetitive replication and division, the DNA is always an exact copy of the first DNA strand. Conception also joins the father’s sperm with the mother’s egg creating a genetic sequence (23 chromosomes from your father and 23 from your mother) of the 46 chromosomes. It is these 46 chromosomes that make up the complete instructional guide for who we are. Half of the chromosomes come from each parent, allowing for all the variations in our offspring. Scientists have said the human genome is comprised of â€Å"approximately three billion DNA molecules† (Simon Dickey, 2012). In general, we are made up of about 30,000 different genes that are spread between 46 chromosomes. With so many different chromosomes, there are an infinite number of variations that two parents can make-up. Also, the DNA of each person details a variety of information to include how long you are likely to live. All of the chromosomes that make up our DNA are coiled up inside the nucleus of eukaryotic cells. Aside from the reproductive cells, each and every cell contains the 46 linear chromosomes. Of those 46, there are 23 pairs of chromosomes. Of those 23, 22 are similar in size, shape and even genetic content. The 23rdShow MoreRelatedAre Viruses Alive?560 Words   |  2 Pagesgenetic material in the form of DNA or RNA, and is enclosed in the capsid, which is the protein coating that helps the virus attach to and penetrate the host cell. In some cases, certain viruses have a membrane surrounding the capsid, called an envelope. This structure allows viruses to become more stealthy and protected. There are two cycles in which a virus can go into: lytic and lysogenic. The lytic cycle consists of the virus attaching to a cell, injecting its DNA, and creating more viruses, whichRead MoreAttention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ( Adhd )1292 Words   |  6 Pagesbe left untreated. 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