Need help with constructing a DNA model - please help!

[gsingh03]

Hello everyone.

I am a high school student and have a ridiculous assignment for grade 12 uni-prep biology. I have to construct a model of DNA. I find it very weird to have to do such an assignment considering the level of the course and it being a course considered preparation for university.

I am no good with arts and crafts stuff and need A LOT of help as this is due tomorrow. I have no idea how to make/construct the actual double helix part. It has to be at least 30cm tall but I am having a lot of trouble understanding how to bend something to make a double helix.

Can anyone please help me? It will be very much appreciated.

Sorry if this is not the right forum for such a thing like this.

[danfive]

A stick and ball model is very common. Usually pipecleaner and small colored styrofoam balls, to represent the bases and phosphodiester bonds with something thinner like pairs of toothpicks to symbolize the hydrogen bonds. Obviously the concepts to keep in mind are the basepairing A-T, G-C and number of H bonds between them 2 for AT pairs and 3 for GC pairs.

[gsingh03]

I don't have any trouble with the base-pairing or anything like that.

The only part i'm having trouble with is deciding what to make the double helix out of. How do I make it? I tried using coat hanger but its way too hard to bend into shape. It needs to be a 3d model so how can I make a double helix?

I'm just not understanding the double helix structure I guess so its kind of harder to make it into a model I guess.

[danfive]

The double helix is just like a spiral staircase or a rope ladder twisted into a spiral. Pipecleaner is just thin wire with some fuzzy coat on it. If you can find wire and yarn, and basically construct a mini ladder with wire as rigid sides and yarn as rungs (H-bonds) and the yarn knots on the wire representing the bases. You should be able to gently twist it into a spiral and the right scale/dimensions will allow for the wires' rigidity to support itself. You can glue it or weigh it down at the base so it will stand.

[kmunson779]

You could [Only registered users see links. ]... No, I don't expect you to learn how to knit in a day, but you might find inspiration from the pictures.

[gsingh03]

Okay... Is the double helix basically one SINGLE helix, and then another helix just moved above it to create the spiral?

[danfive]

Originally Posted by gsingh03

Okay... Is the double helix basically one SINGLE helix, and then another helix just moved above it to create the spiral?

They are bonded via hydrogen bonds and base complimentarity so they are two parallel helices. The sugar phosphate backbone is the each helix and the bases are oriented inward.