Question:medium

If one strand of a DNA has the sequence ATGCTTCA, sequence of the bases in complementary strand is:

Updated On: Mar 25, 2026
  • CATTAGCT
  • TACGAAGT
  • GTACTTAC
  • ATGCGACT
Show Solution

The Correct Option is B

Solution and Explanation

The objective is to determine the sequence of the complementary DNA strand, given one strand's sequence as ATGCTTCA.

Underlying Principle:

DNA's double helix structure is maintained by base pairing rules: Adenine (A) pairs with Thymine (T), and Guanine (G) pairs with Cytosine (C).

Procedural Breakdown:

Step 1: Document the provided DNA strand sequence.

\[ \text{Given Strand: } 5'\text{-ATGCTTCA-}3' \]

Step 2: Identify the complementary base for each nucleotide according to pairing rules.

  • A pairs with T.
  • T pairs with A.
  • G pairs with C.
  • C pairs with G.

Step 3: Determine the complementary base for each position in the original sequence.

  • Position 1 (A): Complement is T.
  • Position 2 (T): Complement is A.
  • Position 3 (G): Complement is C.
  • Position 4 (C): Complement is G.
  • Position 5 (T): Complement is A.
  • Position 6 (T): Complement is A.
  • Position 7 (C): Complement is G.
  • Position 8 (A): Complement is T.

Step 4: Construct the complementary strand sequence. Note that DNA strands are antiparallel; the complementary strand runs 3' to 5' if the given strand runs 5' to 3'.

\[ \begin{array}{rc} \text{Given Strand:} & 5' - \text{A T G C T T C A} - 3' \\ & \quad \ ||\ ||\ ||\ ||\ ||\ ||\ ||\ || \\ \text{Complementary Strand:} & 3' - \text{T A C G A A G T} - 5' \end{array} \]

Conclusion:

The complementary DNA strand sequence is TACGAAGT.

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