What is the Structural Feature That Allows DNA to Replicate

Question

What is the structural feature that allows DNA to replicate?
A) sugar-phosphate backbone
B) complementary pairing of the nitrogenous bases
C) disulfide bonding (bridging) of the two helixes
D) twisting of the molecule to form an α helix
E) three-component structure of the nucleotides

Accepted Answer

The complementary pairing of the nitrogenous bases (adenine with thymine and cytosine with guanine) allows for the strands of DNA to separate and act as templates for the synthesis of new, complementary strands during replication.

Answer options A, C, D, and E refer to other features of DNA structure but do not directly relate to the ability of DNA to replicate.