1 You identified a virus and extracted its genome nucleic ac

1. You identified a virus and extracted its genome (nucleic acid). Using biochemical methods, you found that

the base composition of its genome is 25% A, 33% T, 24% G, and 18% C. Based on this discovery, would

you predict that the genome of the virus is double strand DNA? And why?

Solution

No. The genome of the identified virus is not double stranded. It is single stranded.

In a double stranded DNA, according to Chargoff\'s rule, the percentage of A equals the percentage of T. And the percentage of G equals the percentage of C.

Here the percentages do not match. Hence it is most probably a single stranded DNA virus.