complementary base
Americannoun
Usage
What is a complementary base? A complementary base is either of the two nitrogen-containing sections of a nucleotide that bond together to connect strands of DNA or RNA. DNA and RNA are complex molecules that are central to genetics and both are made of things called nucleotides. Nucleotides are made of a sugar molecule, phosphoric acid, and a base. In chemistry, the word base refers to a chemical that will give or receive electrons or protons, and the two partner bases that share with each other in the nucleotides of DNA and RNA are called complementary bases. The arrangement of the complementary bases is crucial to DNA’s structure and is what gives it its characteristic double helix shape.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A tRNA molecule recognizes a codon on the mRNA, binds to it by complementary base pairing, and adds the correct amino acid to the growing peptide chain.
From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022
DNA is a double helical structure in which complementary base pairing occurs.
From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022
One or more of these molecules interacts by complementary base pairing with some of the nucleotides in the pre-mRNA transcript.
From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022
DNA is a double helical structure in which complementary base pairing occurs.
From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022
The overhangs are called “sticky ends” because they can bond, or “stick,” to a DNA fragment with the complementary base sequence.
From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2018
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
