The compound 'A' is a complementary base of ______ in DNA strands.
(A)Adenine✓ Correct
(B)Cytosine
(C)Guanine
(D)Uracil
Answer: (A)
Solution
The structure is a pyrimidine ring bearing two carbonyl groups and a methyl group at position 5, that is 5-methyluracil, which is thymine. In the DNA double helix the two strands are held by hydrogen bonds between a purine and a pyrimidine: thymine pairs with adenine through two hydrogen bonds and cytosine pairs with guanine through three. Uracil replaces thymine in RNA and is not a DNA base at all. The complementary base of this compound in DNA is adenine.
JEE Main · 2021 · 27 Jul 2021 · Shift 1 · Single correct option