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Multiple Choice
On which of the following DNA strands will UV light have the most effect?
A
A strand with a high concentration of cytosine bases
B
A strand with a high concentration of adenine bases
C
A strand with a high concentration of guanine bases
D
A strand with a high concentration of thymine bases
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the effect of UV light on DNA: UV light can cause damage to DNA by inducing the formation of pyrimidine dimers, primarily affecting thymine and cytosine bases.
Identify the bases susceptible to UV-induced damage: Thymine and cytosine are pyrimidine bases, and UV light can cause them to form dimers, disrupting the DNA structure.
Consider the types of bases in the given options: Adenine and guanine are purine bases, which are less susceptible to UV-induced dimer formation compared to pyrimidine bases.
Evaluate the strand with the highest concentration of thymine bases: Since thymine is a pyrimidine base, a strand with a high concentration of thymine bases will be more affected by UV light due to the potential for dimer formation.
Conclude that the strand with a high concentration of thymine bases will have the most effect from UV light exposure, as thymine dimers are a common form of UV-induced DNA damage.