In DNA stand what does 5 or 3 meanSolutionThe 5 or 3 indicat

In DNA stand what does 5\' or 3\' mean?

Solution

The 5\' or 3\' indicate the carbon numbers in the DNA\'s sugar backbone. The 5\' carbon has a phosphate group attached to it and the 3\' carbon a hydroxyl group. This asymmetry gives a DNA strand a \"direction\". For example, DNA polymerase works in a 5\' -> 3\' direction, that is, it adds nucleotides to the 3\' end of the molecule (the -OH group), thus advancing to that direction.