Bacteria and other microbes can be used to \"clean up\" an oil spill by breaking

Question

Bacteria and other microbes can be used to "clean up" an oil spill by breaking down oil into carbon dioxide and water. Two samples isolated from the Deepwater Horizon leak in the Gulf of Mexico were labeled A and B. The DNA of each was isolated and the percent thymine measured in each sample. Assume the organisms contain normal double-stranded DNA and predict the composition of the other bases. Sample A contains 17.1% Thymine Sample B contains 31.5% Thymine Both samples are then denatured to remove the secondary structure. Which will have the higher temperature to denature?

Explanation / Answer

As thymine always pairs with adenine by two hydrogen bonds ,so their composition must be equal.

Rest cytosine pairs with guanine base pair by three hydrogen bonds between them.So their composition must also be equal in DNA.

sample A

composition of Thymine=17.1%= composition of adenine

composition of cytosine =composition of guanine=100-17.1%=82.9%

sample B

composition of Thymine=31.5 %= composition of adenine

composition of cytosine =composition of guanine=100-31.5%=68.5%

three hydrogen bonded Cytosine-guanine bond is more in sample A,so it will require higher temperature for denaturation (to break these bonds)

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