Question

"Although my nucleotide partner in double-stranded DNA is nearly twice my size, we are remarkably well matched. Of course, when the heat is on, we tend to go our separate ways easily because we are only connected by two hydrogen bonds. Who am I?"

Answer 1

The nucleotide in question is adenine, which pairs with thymine in DNA double strands through two hydrogen bonds, and can separate during DNA denaturation.

Step-by-step explanation:

The student's question alludes to one of the nitrogenous bases found in the structure of DNA. This base pairs with its partner to form a rung of the DNA ladder within the iconic double helix structure. The clue provided by the student suggests that the base in question forms two hydrogen bonds with its complementary base, indicating that this base is adenine (A), which pairs with thymine (T) in DNA. Thymine is nearly twice the size of adenine but they pair perfectly due to the structure of the bases. When DNA is exposed to high temperatures or certain chemicals, this hydrogen bonding can break, leading to the separation of the double-stranded DNA into single strands - a process known as DNA denaturation.