dsDNA Molecular Weight Calculator
Here’s a detailed table covering all the essential information you need to know about the molecular weight of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA), including the molecular weights of individual nucleotides, how to calculate the overall molecular weight, and related properties of dsDNA.
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| DNA Type | Double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) |
| Basic Structure | Two complementary strands of nucleotides (A-T, G-C pairing) forming a double helix |
| Nucleotides in dsDNA | Adenine (A), Thymine (T), Guanine (G), Cytosine (C) |
| Molecular Weight of Nucleotides (g/mol) | Adenine (A): 313.21 g/mol Thymine (T): 304.2 g/mol Guanine (G): 329.21 g/mol Cytosine (C): 289.18 g/mol |
| dsDNA Base Pairing | A pairs with T, G pairs with C |
| Molecular Weight Calculation Formula | MolecularWeightofdsDNAMolecular Weight of dsDNAMolecularWeightofdsDNA = (A × 313.21) + (T × 304.2) + (G × 329.21) + (C × 289.18) |
| Phosphodiester Backbone Contribution | The weight of the sugar-phosphate backbone is included in nucleotide molecular weights |
| Average Molecular Weight per Base Pair | ~650 g/mol for one base pair (A-T or G-C) |
| Common DNA Sequence Lengths | Short Oligonucleotide: 10-100 bp Medium dsDNA: 1,000-10,000 bp Large dsDNA: 100,000+ bp |
| Example Calculation | For 50 A, 50 T, 50 G, 50 C nucleotides: Molecular weight = (50 × 313.21) + (50 × 304.2) + (50 × 329.21) + (50 × 289.18) = 61680 g/mol |
| Formula for Large Sequences | Molecular Weight (g/mol) = Total number of base pairs × 650 g/mol |
| dsDNA Length (bp) | Number of base pairs (bp) indicates DNA sequence length (1 bp = 1 paired nucleotide) |
| Molecular Weight of 1 Kilobase (1,000 bp) | 1 kb dsDNA = ~650,000 g/mol (650 g/mol per base pair) |
| Molecular Weight of 1 Megabase (1,000,000 bp) | 1 Mb dsDNA = ~650,000,000 g/mol |
| Uses of Molecular Weight | Molecular biology (PCR, cloning), gene therapy, and determining physical DNA properties |
| State of dsDNA | dsDNA exists as a helical structure with a stable double-stranded form |
| Important Properties | – dsDNA is negatively charged due to its phosphate backbone |
| – Molecular weight affects gel electrophoresis migration rates | |
| – Higher molecular weight DNA fragments migrate slower | |
| Nucleotide Base Ratios | The ratio of Aand Gshould ideally be 1:1 in double-stranded DNA sequences |