Deoxyribonucleic acid, a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms.
An acronym for deoxyribonucleic acid.
DNA is the abbreviation for deoxyribonucleic acid, one of the two types of nucleic acid that occur in nature. It is the fundamental genetic material of all cells, and is present in the nucleus of the cell where it forms part of the chromosome and acts as the carrier of genetic information. The molecule is very large, with a molecular weight of several millions, and consists of two single chains of nucleotides which are twisted round each other to form a double helix (or spiral). The genetic information carried by DNA is encoded along one of these strands. A gene, which represents the genetic information needed to form protein, is a stretch of DNA containing, on average, around 1,000 nucleotides paired in these two strands.
The shortened form for the term deoxyribonucleic acid is DNA. This molecule is chiefly responsible for storing genetic data in nearly all living organisms. Some viruses are the exceptions to this as they utilize RNA instead.
DNA resides in the chromosomes within cells, and its unique double-helix structure permits precise replication during cell division. A distinct version of DNA is present in mitochondria, which are minuscule structures in cells that generate energy. Additionally, portions of DNA can be synthesized artificially.