why does dna form a double helical structure
Two complementary regions of nucleic acid molecules will bind and form a double helical structure held together by base pairs. In molecular biology, the term double helix refers to the structure formed by double-stranded molecules of nucleic acids such as DNA.he DNA double helix polymer of nucleic acids, held together by nucleotides which base pair together. In B-DNA, the most common double helical structure, the double helix is right-handed with about 10â10.5 base pairs per turn. This translates into about 20-21 nucleotides per turn.
Each base is also attached to a sugar molecule and a phosphate molecule. Together, a base, sugar, and phosphate are called a nucleotide. Nucleotides are arranged in two long strands that form a spiral called a double helix.The structure of the double helix is somewhat like a ladder, with the base pairs forming the ladderâs rungs and the sugar and phosphate molecules forming the vertical sidepieces of the ladder.An important property of DNA is that it can replicate, or make copies of itself.NA is a double helix formed by base pairs attached to a sugar-phosphate backbone. DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is the hereditary material in humans and almost all other organisms. Nearly every cell in a personâs body has the same DNA.