Conceptual

DNA Structure and Heredity

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) functions as the universal hereditary molecule responsible for transmitting biological traits, superseding proteins as the carrier of genetic information. This concept is defined by the principle of strict complementary base pairing (adenine with thymine, cytosine with guanine) within a double-helix structure composed of anti-parallel sugar-phosphate backbones. Operating within the domain of molecular genetics, DNA serves as the primary mechanism for storing, replicating, and expressing the genetic instructions that determine phenotypic characteristics in living organisms.