Base pairing意思

"Base pairing" is a term used in molecular biology and genetics to describe the specific pairing of nucleotides in DNA and RNA molecules. In DNA, there are four different types of nucleotides, each containing a sugar-phosphate backbone and one of four nitrogenous bases: adenine (A), thymine (T), guanine (G), and cytosine (C). In RNA, the base thymine is replaced with uracil (U).

Base pairing refers to the specific attraction between certain pairs of these bases:

• Adenine (A) pairs with thymine (T) in DNA or uracil (U) in RNA through two hydrogen bonds.
• Guanine (G) pairs with cytosine (C) through three hydrogen bonds.

This specificity allows for the formation of a double helix structure in DNA and RNA, where the two strands are held together by these base-pairing interactions. The base-pairing rules ensure the stability and fidelity of genetic information storage and replication.