DNA nucleobase models

[paulsutton]

Hi

I am guessing this is the right place to ask this.

I am building a Model of DNA using coloured craft sticks,  which happen to be in 4 colours  Red, Green, Yellow and Blue which is ideal for representing A G C T as the base molecules  Amine, Thymine, Guanine, Cytosine

As I am putting these in pairs, can I have the same molecule connected together? e.g

AA GG CC TT

Looking at the diagram on the compound chemistry

https://www.compoundchem.com/2015/03/24/dna/

I am guessing not,  as this does not show pairs that are the same.

Just asking anyway.

Going Ok so far, I just need some string to tie everything together.   And yes I know I can buy one of these as a kit, but it is fun to do this way but also can help others do the same,  as it is a cheap way of making the model

Thanks

 

Paul

 

[Sensei]

7 hours ago, paulsutton said:

base molecules  Amine, Thymine, Guanine, Cytosine

It is Adenine, not Amine.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adenine

 

7 hours ago, paulsutton said:

I am guessing not,  as this does not show pairs that are the same.

If you will start with making ball-n-sticks of chemical molecules of e.g. C₅H₅N₅, C₅H₅N₅O etc. you will see that they make hydrogen bonds with corresponding molecule in DNA chain.

7 hours ago, paulsutton said:

Going Ok so far, I just need some string to tie everything together.   And yes I know I can buy one of these as a kit, but it is fun to do this way but also can help others do the same,  as it is a cheap way of making the model

I 3D printed my own design of the ball-n-stick set.

There are online ball-n-stick editors available:

https://www.google.com/search?q=online+ball-n-stick+editors

 

Edited March 1 by Sensei

[paulsutton]

Thanks for this, 

 

Paul

[exchemist]

15 hours ago, paulsutton said:

Hi

I am guessing this is the right place to ask this.

I am building a Model of DNA using coloured craft sticks,  which happen to be in 4 colours  Red, Green, Yellow and Blue which is ideal for representing A G C T as the base molecules  Amine, Thymine, Guanine, Cytosine

As I am putting these in pairs, can I have the same molecule connected together? e.g

AA GG CC TT

Looking at the diagram on the compound chemistry

https://www.compoundchem.com/2015/03/24/dna/

I am guessing not,  as this does not show pairs that are the same.

Just asking anyway.

Going Ok so far, I just need some string to tie everything together.   And yes I know I can buy one of these as a kit, but it is fun to do this way but also can help others do the same,  as it is a cheap way of making the model

Thanks

 

Paul

 

No. The pairing is dictated by the way the H bonds line up and this makes only  2 specific pairs fit together, namely A-T and G-C.  This is what ensures that a single strand of DNA, when it has been unzipped, will attract the same sequence of bases as the complementary strand that was unzipped from it, thus making another copy of the previous complementary strand. So your model should have A-T and G-C links only between the strands.

 

 

Edited March 1 by exchemist

[paulsutton]

10 hours ago, exchemist said:

No. The pairing is dictated by the way the H bonds line up and this makes only  2 specific pairs fit together, namely A-T and G-C.  This is what ensures that a single strand of DNA, when it has been unzipped, will attract the same sequence of bases as the complementary strand that was unzipped from it, thus making another copy of the previous complementary strand. So your model should have A-T and G-C links only between the strands.

 

 

Ah OK thanks, I was probably confused by the diagram.

So I can have A-T and T-A along with G-C and C-G

 

I will have a look at what I have and make sure the right bits go together and disguard the wrong combinations.

 

Thanks

 

Paul