Question

A particular variant of the lambda bacteriophage has a DNA double-stranded genome of 51,365 base pairs. How long would this DNA be?

Short answer

Answer: The total length of the lambda bacteriophage DNA double-stranded genome is approximately 17,464.1 nanometers.

Step-by-step solution

Determine the length of one base pair

The length of one base pair in DNA is approximately 0.34 nanometers (nm).

Multiply the number of base pairs by the length of one base pair

We have 51,365 base pairs in the lambda bacteriophage genome. Therefore, the total length of the DNA can be calculated as follows: Total length = (Number of base pairs) × (Length of one base pair) Total length = 51,365 × 0.34 nm

Calculate the total length

Now, we can calculate the total length: Total length = 17,464.1 nm So, the total length of the lambda bacteriophage DNA double-stranded genome is approximately 17,464.1 nanometers.

Key concepts

DNA Base Pairs

The intricate blueprint of life is encoded in long strands of DNA, which are composed of basic units known as base pairs. These pairs are the building blocks of the genetic language and consist of two nucleotides bonded together. Nucleotides, the compounds that form the rungs of the DNA ladder, come in four varieties: adenine (A), thymine (T), cytosine (C), and guanine (G). Adenine always pairs with thymine, and cytosine with guanine, maintaining the characteristic double helix structure of DNA.

When considering the length of DNA, the term base pair is crucial because it represents the most fundamental unit of measurement in the genome. In the context of the lambda bacteriophage, which is a virus that infects bacteria, it has a genome consisting of 51,365 of these base pairs, detailing its entire genetic makeup. Understanding the relationship between base pairs and the physical length of DNA requires knowledge of the space each base pair occupies, which brings us to the role of nanometers in DNA measurement.

Nanometers in DNA

In the realm of genetics, dimensions are so minuscule that they're measured in nanometers (nm), where one nanometer is equivalent to one billionth of a meter. This scale is essential when dealing with DNA, as the width and length of the structure extend into the nano domain. The significance of using nanometers becomes apparent when you consider that a single base pair spans roughly 0.34 nm in length.

To visualize this, one might compare the DNA structure to a miniature ladder twisted into a spiral. Each rung of this ladder—a base pair—is separated from the next by a vertical distance of 0.34 nm. It's this exact measurement that allows scientists and researchers to calculate the full length of a DNA molecule by simply knowing the count of base pairs it contains. This paves the way for an understanding of calculating DNA length in practical terms.

Calculating DNA Length

The process of calculating the length of DNA involves straightforward multiplication but requires precision given the scale of measurements. For the lambda bacteriophage, the computation of its DNA length becomes a simple matter of arithmetic, blending both the concept of base pairs and nanometers.

To calculate the total length of the DNA, you multiply the number of base pairs by the length of one base pair: \[ \text{Total length (nm)} = \text{Number of base pairs} \times \text{Length of one base pair (nm)} \] For our lambda bacteriophage with 51,365 base pairs, and given that one base pair equals 0.34 nm, the total length can be calculated as \[ \text{Total length} = 51,365 \times 0.34 \text{ nm} = 17,464.1 \text{ nm} \] This calculation results in a DNA length of approximately 17,464.1 nanometers. By understanding these fundamental concepts, students can grasp both the immense detail present in genetic structures and the mathematical framework used to describe these incredibly small dimensions.