Question

1. Describe how a DNA helix differs from a protein alpha helix. We’re looking for differences in how the two kinds of helices are structured; that is, for something other than “DNA helices are made up of deoxyribonucleic acid strands and protein helices are made from amino acids.”

2. DNA molecules can be very long, but their width is only a relatively small number of atoms. Can you see a single molecule of DNA?

Answer 1

DNA helix is made up of double stranded alpha helix made from the interactions of two seperate strands and protein helix is made up of single stranded alpha helix formed from single polypeptide.

In the protein alpha helix, the helix is stabilized by hydrogen bonds along the backboneN-H (amino) group hydrogen bonds with C-O (carbonyl ) group of every fourth peptide bond.

In DNA alpha helix, the hydrogen bonds are between the bases projecting from the backbone.Guanine pair with cytosine and adenine with Thymine connect with each other by hydrogen bonds.

Single molecule of DNA can be seen using a microscope with a higher resolution.The nucleus containing the DNA can be seen using light microscope.