In: Biology
Which of the following eukaryotic sequences would you predict to have the longest “life-time” (stability) in the cytoplasm: Select one:
a. 5’ AUGGCCCGGAAACAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA 3’ b. 5’GTCACGATCGACTAGATCGACTGACTGACTGCTAGCATACTACTAAAAA 3' c. 5’ GCUAUAACGUGGAAAAAAAAAA 3’ d. 3’GCUCCUCUAUCACUCUACUAAACAAAACAAGUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA 5’
The eukaryotic sequence that would you predict to have the longest “life-time” (stability) in the cytoplasm is :-
(b) 5’GTCACGATCGACTAGATCGACTGACTGACTGCTAGCATACTACTAAAAA 3'
In the DNA helix, the bases: adenine, cytosine, thymine and guanine are each linked with their complementary base by hydrogen bonding. Adenine pairs with cytosine and guanine pairs with cytosine.
The stability of a sequence depends on the GC content since there are 3 hydrogen bonds between Guanine (G) and Cytosine (C) whereas 2 hydrogen bonds between Adenine (A) and Thymine (T).
The number of GC in sequence (a) is 8 ; in sequence (b) is 21 ; in sequence (c) is 6 and sequence (d) is 12.
Since the sequence (b) contains highest content of Guanine (G) and Cytosine (C).
Thus sequence (b) will have the longest life time (stability) in the cytoplasm.
So the correct answer is (b) 5’GTCACGATCGACTAGATCGACTGACTGACTGCTAGCATACTACTAAAAA 3'