What type of bond holds complementary bases together across the DNA double helix?

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Multiple Choice

What type of bond holds complementary bases together across the DNA double helix?

Explanation:
Hydrogen bonds hold complementary bases together across the DNA double helix. They form between specific pairs—adenine with thymine via two hydrogen bonds, and guanine with cytosine via three hydrogen bonds—providing just enough attraction to keep the two strands aligned while still allowing them to separate when needed for replication or transcription. The backbone of each strand is stabilized by covalent bonds (phosphodiester linkages), so the question refers to the weaker, inter-strand connections between bases. Ionic or metallic bonds aren’t the interactions that pair the bases in DNA.

Hydrogen bonds hold complementary bases together across the DNA double helix. They form between specific pairs—adenine with thymine via two hydrogen bonds, and guanine with cytosine via three hydrogen bonds—providing just enough attraction to keep the two strands aligned while still allowing them to separate when needed for replication or transcription. The backbone of each strand is stabilized by covalent bonds (phosphodiester linkages), so the question refers to the weaker, inter-strand connections between bases. Ionic or metallic bonds aren’t the interactions that pair the bases in DNA.

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