Complementary Base Pairing

Definition

Complementary base pairing refers to the phenomenon where certain types of nitrogenous bases bond specifically with others. For example, Adenine always bonds with Thymine (in DNA) or Uracil (in RNA), while Guanine always bonds with Cytosine.

Analogy

Complementary Base Pairing is like puzzle pieces - each piece has a unique shape that fits perfectly into another specific piece. Similarly, each type of nitrogenous base can only pair up with its complementary partner.

Related terms

Hydrogen Bonding: The type of chemical bond that holds together the two strands of a DNA molecule by connecting their respective bases.

Double Helix Structure: The twisted ladder-like structure formed by two strands of nucleotides bonded together through complementary base pairing.

Watson-Crick Model: The model proposed by James Watson and Francis Crick explaining the double helix structure of DNA based on complementary base pairing.