Question

Chargaff discovered that in DNA extracted from organisms, the amounts of guanine and cytosine are roughly the same, and the amounts of adenine and thymine are roughly the same. Why was this discovery important?

Answer 1

Answer Choices:

○ A. The amount of thymine can't be more than the amount of cytosine in a given strand of DNA.

○ B. The base pairing of adenine to thymine and of guanine to cytosine was a key piece of information in elucidating the structure of DNA.

○ C. The amounts of each nitrogenous base in DNA proved that DNA is copied before cells divide.

○ D. The amounts of each nitrogenous base in DNA determines the function of the DNA.

Answer:

B. The base pairing of adenine to thymine and of guanine to cytosine was a key piece of information in elucidating the structure of DNA.

Reference:

3.2 Examine the structure of DNA and its function with genetic inheritance

DNA's Structure and Function in Genetic Inheritance

Structure of DNA READING ASSIGNMENT

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"The base-pairing rules of A pairing with T and G pairing with C were critical for elucidating the structure of DNA." (PDF pg. 57)

Step-by-step explanation:

Penn Foster

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Answer 2

It acted as a catalyst towards the discovery of the double helix structure of DNA by Watson & Crick. It showed that G pairs C while A pairs with T as a rule. He also noticed that the percentages of G-C and A-T pairs differed between species hence this corroborated the understanding that DNA, rather than proteins, is the genetic material in cells.