Newsdate: March 1, 2030. A unique creature has been discoveredduring exploration of outer space. Recently, its genetic materialhas been isolated and analyzed, and has been found to be similarin some ways to DNA in chemical makeup. It contains in abundancethe 4-carbon sugar erythrose and a molar equivalent ofphosphate groups. In addition, it contains six nitrogenous bases:adenine (A), guanine (G), thymine (T), cytosine (C), hypoxanthine(H), and xanthine (X). These bases exist in the following relativeproportion:A = T = H and C = G = XX-ray diffraction studies have established a regularity in the moleculeand a constant diameter of about 30 Å. Together, these datahave suggested a model for the structure of this molecule.(a) Propose a general model of this molecule, and brieflydescribe it.(b) What base-pairing properties must exist for H and for X inthe model?(c) Given the constant diameter of 30 Å, do you think either (i)both H and X are purines or both pyrimidines, or (ii) one isa purine and one is a pyrimidine?

Biology Today and Tomorrow without Physiology (MindTap Course List)
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ISBN:9781305117396
Author:Cecie Starr, Christine Evers, Lisa Starr
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Chapter6: Dna Structure And Function
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Newsdate: March 1, 2030. A unique creature has been discovered
during exploration of outer space. Recently, its genetic material
has been isolated and analyzed, and has been found to be similar
in some ways to DNA in chemical makeup. It contains in abundance
the 4-carbon sugar erythrose and a molar equivalent of
phosphate groups. In addition, it contains six nitrogenous bases:
adenine (A), guanine (G), thymine (T), cytosine (C), hypoxanthine
(H), and xanthine (X). These bases exist in the following relative
proportion:
A = T = H and C = G = X
X-ray diffraction studies have established a regularity in the molecule
and a constant diameter of about 30 Å. Together, these data
have suggested a model for the structure of this molecule.
(a) Propose a general model of this molecule, and briefly
describe it.
(b) What base-pairing properties must exist for H and for X in
the model?
(c) Given the constant diameter of 30 Å, do you think either (i)
both H and X are purines or both pyrimidines, or (ii) one is
a purine and one is a pyrimidine?

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