Question

If two DNA strands of identical length were analyzed, which of the following statements would be true of their Tm, or melting temperature?

A) Tm depends on nucleotide composition
B) Tm is independent of nucleotide composition
C) Tm is higher with higher GC content
D) Tm is higher with higher AT content

Answer 1

The melting temperature (Tm) of DNA depends on the nucleotide composition. Higher GC content leads to a higher Tm, while higher AT content leads to a lower Tm.

Step-by-step explanation:

The melting temperature (Tm) of two identical DNA strands depends on the nucleotide composition. Higher GC content leads to a higher Tm, while higher AT content leads to a lower Tm. The Tm is the temperature at which half of the DNA strands are denatured.

For example, if you have two DNA strands with high GC content, they will have a higher Tm compared to DNA strands with low GC content.