Question

Consider the following statements about DNA melting temperature: A molecule with 53% G—C base pairs would have a higher melting temperature than a molecule of equivalent length with 53% A—T base pairs.

a-true
b-false

Answer 1

The melting temperature of DNA depends on the G=C content. A higher G=C content leads to a higher TM.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement is false. The melting temperature (TM) of DNA depends on the G=C content. A higher G=C content leads to a higher TM. In this case, the molecule with 53% G-C base pairs would have a lower melting temperature than a molecule of equivalent length with 53% A-T base pairs since G-C base pairs have three hydrogen bonds, while A-T base pairs have only two hydrogen bonds. Therefore, the higher the G-C content, the more stable the DNA structure, resulting in a higher TM.