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Question

Question: How does DNA fit into a cell?...

How does DNA fit into a cell?

Explanation

Solution

DNA is deoxyribonucleic acid is a complex molecule that contains all the information necessary for organisms to maintain their life. All living things have DNA within their cells. When the organisms reproduce, a copy of their DNA passes to their offspring.

Complete answer:
DNA is tightly packed in the nucleus. DNA molecules wrap around the histone proteins to form nucleosomes. These nucleosomes upon further condensation to form chromatin. Chromatin upon further recoiling with additional proteins to form chromosomes.

Chromosomes are not visible when the cell is not dividing. DNA becomes more tightly packed during cell division and thus becomes visible. Each chromosome has a construction point called centromere which divides the chromosomes into two arms.

To facilitate their packaging around histone proteins it is tightly packed, which are spaced at regular intervals. Combination of DNA and histone proteins are called nucleosomes. Each nucleosome contains eight histone molecules, two copies each of H2A, H2B, H3 and H4 winding about 146 base pairs of DNA.

Note:
DNA molecules consist of two strands that form double helix wrap around histone proteins. Two strands are twisted like a ladder and the sides of the ladder are composed of phosphate and sugar and the nitrogenous bases are inserted inside it.