In DNA, guanine pairs with which base?

Prepare for your College Biology Exam 1 with flashcards and multiple choice questions. Test your understanding with detailed explanations and hints to ensure success in your biology exam!

Multiple Choice

In DNA, guanine pairs with which base?

Explanation:
DNA base pairing is highly specific: to keep the double helix width constant, a purine must pair with a pyrimidine. Guanine is a purine, so it pairs with cytosine, a pyrimidine. They form three hydrogen bonds, providing extra stability to this G–C pair. By contrast, adenine pairs with thymine (two hydrogen bonds). So the base that pairs with guanine is cytosine.

DNA base pairing is highly specific: to keep the double helix width constant, a purine must pair with a pyrimidine. Guanine is a purine, so it pairs with cytosine, a pyrimidine. They form three hydrogen bonds, providing extra stability to this G–C pair. By contrast, adenine pairs with thymine (two hydrogen bonds). So the base that pairs with guanine is cytosine.

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