Deoxyribonucleic Acid CAS 9007-49-2

Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) is a molecule that carries the genetic instructions for the development, growth, and function of nearly all known living organisms and many viruses. It is a long, double-stranded helix made of nucleotides, with a sugar-phosphate backbone and four chemical bases: adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), and thymine (T). These bases pair specifically (A with T, and G with C) to form the "rungs" of the double helix, with their sequence encoding biological information.

In eukaryotes (like humans), most DNA is located in the cell nucleus, packaged into structures called chromosomes. A small amount of DNA is also found in the mitochondria, structures within cells that generate energy from food. In prokaryotes (like bacteria), DNA is located in the cytoplasm in a region called the nucleoid.

Medical diagnosis: By detecting Deoxyribonucleic Acid mutations (such as gene sequencing), it can diagnose genetic diseases (such as thalassemia, cystic fibrosis) and predict cancer risks (such as BRCA1/2 gene and breast cancer).
Forensic science: Utilizing "DNA fingerprinting technology" (based on the uniqueness of an individual's DNA sequence), it conducts paternity tests and matches crime scene evidence (such as DNA comparison in blood and hair).
Genetic engineering and biotechnology: By modifying DNA (such as CRISPR gene editing technology), cultivating genetically modified crops (such as insect-resistant corn), producing biopharmaceuticals (such as insulin, through DNA synthesis of recombinant Escherichia coli), and conducting gene therapy (repairing defective genes in patients' bodies).