Question

a forensic scientist is trying to find out the number of adenine bases in the dna sample that he obtained from a crime scene. what can he assume about the number of adenine? the number of adenine bases will be equal to the number of guanine bases. the number of adenine bases will be equal to the total of all the other bases. the number of adenine bases will be equal to the number of thymine bases. the number of adenine bases will be half of the number of cytosine bases.

Explanation:

According to Chargaff's rules in DNA, adenine (A) pairs with thymine (T) via hydrogen bonds. So, the number of adenine bases is equal to the number of thymine bases. Guanine (G) pairs with cytosine (C), so the number of G and C are equal. The total amount of A + T + G + C makes up the DNA. The first option is wrong as A ≠ G. The second option is wrong because A is not equal to the sum of T + G + C. The fourth option is wrong as there is no such half - relationship between A and C.

Answer:

The number of adenine bases will be equal to the number of thymine bases.