Each nucleotide contains a sugar and phosphate group as well as nitrogen bases. What is DNA Made of?ĭNA is made up of molecules known as nucleotides.

Perhaps the most fascinating part of the process is the fact that nearly every cell in your body has the same DNA. While most DNA is found in the nucleus of a cell, a small amount can also be found in the mitochondria, which generates energy so cells can function properly. This recipe is the starting point for our development, but DNA’s interaction with outside influences such as our lifestyle, environment, and nutrition ultimately form the human being. It’s one long molecule that contains our genetic “code,” or recipe. It contains the instructions needed for organisms to develop, grow, survive, and reproduce. In simplest terms, it is a carrier of all genetic information. And even today, more than 150 years after it was first discovered, exciting research and technology continue to offer more insight and a better answer to the question: why is DNA important? Learn more here about DNA, including:ĭNA is self-replicating material that’s in every living organism. DNA is found in every cell in the body, and is passed down from parent to child.Īlthough the discovery of DNA occurred in 1869 by Swiss-born biochemist Fredrich Miescher, it took more than 80 years for its importance to be fully realized. The human hereditary material known as deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA, is a long molecule containing the information organisms need to both develop and reproduce.

Dna stands for