วันอังคารที่ 17 พฤษภาคม พ.ศ. 2554

dna structure

dna structure
DNA can be defined as a special nucleic acid that contains instructions for the development of different features and traits in the family members of that living organism. Its main function is to store information about the organism. The carrier of the genetic information from one person or living organism to the next in the hereditary is called genes. In every living body, there are some cells where the DNA exists and DNA forms a helical shape and forms chromosomes. The multiplication of these cells can also be called cell division or DNA replication. There are many structures of DNA and one of them is the Quadruplex form. In it, there are linear shaped chromosomes. The end points of these chromosomes are a very important region called telomeres. This special telomere DNA structure basically protects the end of the chromosomes.


It is very important to know more about telomeres and then it will be easy to understand the telomere DNA structure. Firstly, telomeres are always present at the end parts of the chromosomes. It can be defined as a region of recurring DNA which is present in the chromosomes at the end. Its main function is to guard or look after the end points of the chromosomes from weakening or from damaging. It stops that end region from deprivation or ruining of the genes; it does this by shorting the ends of each chromosome which is automatic during the process of replication. During the process of cell division, there are enzymes that help in duplication of the DNA. It has been found that if cells divide without the telomeres, the ends of chromosomes would degrade and at the end lose the instructions of information that it contains. It can be said that it stays at the end to block the chromosomes and divide at cell division and gets reloaded by special telomeres enzymes. This way there is a lot to know about the telomere DNA structure.


There are various changes that occur in the telomere DNA structure. There are two types of structures; lengthened and shortened. The shortening of telomeres in human beings can provoke duplication, which may stop cell division and may affect the health of the person. Though it protects in multiplying the cancer cells to grow, it may harm the immune system in humans and may increase the chances of having cancer. This shortening may occur because of aging and bad health. Also the shortening may reduce the cell division or duplicity and move to senescence which may suppress the cancer cells. The shortening could be cured by giving long telomeres. The other telomere DNA structure is the long telomeres which raises the energy consumption; which results in less energy after every few hours; it does not look that bad but is very difficult to handle. Similarly, if in some condition long telomeres are more, then they can be cured by shorter telomeres. But inheriting it from someone will not protect it from cancer.

DNA is one of the smallest parts of our body and forms the chromosomes which have a very important connection with child birth and genes. These chromosomes have telomeres at the ends of each strand of chromosomes. They are very important and useful. They protect and store all the information of the genes and take care of the duplicity. The telomere DNA structure may vary but every change in the structure leads to illnesses in humans. Some scientists say that some changes may cure and slow the aging but hasn't yet been proved in humans. It is better to know everything about telomeres before coming to conclusions.

Article Source: dna structure