double helix

noun

, Biochemistry, Genetics.

1. the spiral arrangement of the two complementary strands of DNA.

double helix

noun

1. biochem the form of the molecular structure of DNA, consisting of two helical polynucleotide chains linked by hydrogen bonds and coiled around the same axis

double helix

1. The three-dimensional structure of double-stranded DNA, in which polymeric nucleotide strands whose complementary nitrogen bases are linked by hydrogen bonds form a helical configuration. The two DNA strands are oriented in opposite directions.

double helix

1. The shape taken by the DNA molecule . A helix is a three-dimensional spiral, like the shape of a spring or the railing on a spiral staircase. A DNA molecule consists of two helixes intertwined.

Word History and Origins

Origin of double helix¹

First recorded in 1953; term introduced by J.D. Watson and F.H.C. Crick

Example Sentences

These are called HZE particles, and they’re potent enough to break the interwoven strands of DNA’s double helix.

From Singularity Hub 

Normally, our DNA exists in double helices that are tightly wrapped into 23 bundles, called chromosomes.

From Singularity Hub 

Bagdavadze, originally from the Georgia that doesn’t border Florida, makes paintings and hand-finished prints of DNA double helixes that are inspired by having been a bone-marrow donor for her sister.

From Washington Post

The discovery of the double helix shape of DNA, for example, skyrocketed insights into how genetic information is copied and stored.

From Singularity Hub 

They also stored a 3-D origami double helix and a 4-D hypercube known as a tesseract.

From Nautilus

These drugs interfere with the double helix zip-unzip-zip-again process of RNA and DNA replication.

From The Daily Beast

This process, known as epigenetics, involves the addition of small chemical tags known as methyl groups to the DNA double helix.

From The Daily Beast