If Complementary DNA Strands Were Arranged in a Parallel Manner

question 23

Multiple Choice

If complementary DNA strands were arranged in a parallel manner, what would you expect to see?

• A) The phosphodiester backbones would be too close and repel one another.
• B) There would be no discernable difference between DNA strands aligned in a parallel versus an antiparallel manner.
• C) Complementary nucleotides would line up normally; but fewer hydrogen bonds would form, so the strands could be more easily pulled apart.
• D) Some regions of the two strands may form atypical hydrogen bonds, but the overall structure of the two DNA strands would not be stable.
• E) Complementary nucleotides would be attracted to each other, forming ionic bonds that would make the helix stable but not uniform in width.

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