2010 National DNA Day Online Chatroom Transcript

This is just one question from an archive of the National DNA Day Moderated Chat held in April 2010. The NHGRI Director and many genomics experts from across NHGRI took questions from students, teachers and the general public on topics ranging from basic genomic research, to the genetic basis of disease, to ethical questions about genetic privacy.


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Can we tell which one is 5' and 3' ends of a DNA?
     David Bodine, M.D., Ph.D.: I investigate the genetics of pluripotent hematopoietic stem cells (PHSCs) to improve the effectiveness of bone marrow transplantation and to find better ways to use these unique cells for gene replacement therapy. It is pretty easy with enzymes. There are enzymes that will put PO4 molecules on the 5' strand of DNA and other enzymes that put PO4 on the 3' end of DNA. This is about the easiest way to do it.
Surya Bangsa Elementary in Indonesia (8th grade student)


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