Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is the molecule that stores the genetic information used to build and maintain living cells and organisms.
DNA consists of a long sequence of nucleotides arranged in a double-stranded structure. Specific sections of DNA, called genes, contain instructions that contribute to the production of proteins or functional RNA molecules.
In human cells, most DNA is contained within the cell nucleus, although a smaller amount is found in mitochondria. DNA can also become part of the genetic material of certain viruses, including the DNA produced when retroviruses such as HIV convert their RNA into DNA.
QUICK FACT
DNA is not the same thing as a gene. A gene is a specific functional region of DNA.
COMMONLY CONFUSED WITH
RNA: Both are nucleic acids involved in genetic information, but DNA is generally more stable and serves as the primary genetic information store in human cells, while RNA has diverse roles and is the genetic material of some viruses.
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