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A large nucleic acid molecule that has 20% A, 30% C, 30% G and 20% U is most likely

a) single-stranded DNA
b) single-stranded RNA
c) double-stranded DNA
d) double-stranded RNA

User Ksimon
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

Based on the given percentages, the large nucleic acid molecule is most likely single-stranded RNA.

Step-by-step explanation:

The large nucleic acid molecule described in the question has 20% A (adenine), 30% C (cytosine), 30% G (guanine), and 20% U (uracil). Based on these ratios, it is most likely b) single-stranded RNA. RNA is typically single-stranded and contains uracil instead of thymine. Additionally, the percentages of the different nitrogenous bases align with a typical RNA molecule. Furthermore, since DNA is double-stranded and has base-pairing rules where adenine pairs with thymine and cytosine pairs with guanine, thus both A and T, or C and G would be present in equal amounts, which isn't the case here. In contrast, RNA is typically single-stranded and can contain varying percentages of its constituent nucleotides, with uracil replacing thymine. Therefore, a nucleic acid that has A, C, G, and U in the percentages given is most likely single-stranded RNA.

User Mark Smith
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