Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Chorus: DNA is the building block of all life power of these words will cut you like a knife stands for deoxyribonucleic acid make up genes packed in chromosomes, kid just what is it that makes up life’s blueprint called the genetic code but that’s just a hint messages for the cell contained within the nucleus of the cell is where it’s been three billion molecules sequentially attached most in a straight line but there’s a catch it’s a type of chemical called a nucleotide gonna explain now, let’s start this ride broken apart in 45 places to make 46 chromosomes in all human cases chunks of DNA wrapped real tight stores it real good, keeps your genes right Chorus what’s a gene, instruction for the cell son about 23,000 of them in each one that’s a lot of messages, tells the cell what to do your eye color and hair and how tall you’ll be too I’ll break it down even smaller if you care what makes up a gene, 1400 base pairs it’s the way DNA is organized two strands twist together is what we realized in 1953 when they discovered this a double helix shape is how DNA exists Watson and Crick won the Nobel prize secret of life solved, answered a lot of “whys” Chorus 4 types of DNA, each a nucleotide a base with a phosphate and sugar outside guanine always pairs with cytosine thymine loves to get with adenine hydrogen bonds make each pair really strong to make a ladder that’s mad long twist it and you got a double helix shape the genius of nature you just can’t escape that’s the story behind genes and DNA if you forget don’t worry just in your mind say DNA make up genes and genes make up chromosomes nucleus is where chromosomes find a home Chorus how can all your cells have the same genes liver different from your brain, know what I mean in each cell different genes are turned off and on type of cell decides which ones are called upon cells need to divide before they get worn out makes fresh ones every day if you ever had a doubt DNA undergoes process of replication 2 new strand are formed, look out for mutations double helix gets unzipped with helicase nucleotides are added by DNA polymerase mutation can happen if not in the right order may cause cancer or Alzheimer’s, a genetic disorder
