159k views
4 votes
There is 13% guanine in a DNA molecule how much cytosine and thymine would there be?

User Jaelebi
by
4.7k points

1 Answer

1 vote

Answer:

13% cytosine

37% thymine

Step-by-step explanation:

Chargaff's rule states that the DNA always has a 1:1 ratio of purine bases (the cytosine and thymine to pyrimidine bases (guanine and adenine).

If there is 13% guanine, then there must also be 13% of cytosine (since G pairs with C)

The total of guanines and cytosines is 26%, meaning the total of A + T is 100% - 26% = 74%. That means there are 74/2 = 37% of thymine.

User GlenPeterson
by
4.8k points