Step 1: Understanding the Question:
The question asks us to calculate the total number of nitrogenous bases in a double-stranded DNA molecule that contains exactly 12 complete helical turns.
Step 2: Key Formula or Approach:
We use the structural parameters of standard B-DNA:
1 complete helical turn contains exactly 10 base pairs (bp).
Each base pair consists of 2 nitrogenous bases.
Therefore, the number of nitrogenous bases per turn is:
\[ \text{Bases per turn} = 10 \times 2 = 20 \]
Step 3: Detailed Explanation:
• Standard double-helical DNA (B-DNA) described by Watson and Crick contains 10 nucleotide base pairs per complete pitch/turn of the helix.
• Since a base pair involves two complementary bases (one on each strand, e.g., Adenine-Thymine or Guanine-Cytosine), a single base pair consists of 2 individual nitrogenous bases.
• Therefore, 1 turn of the DNA contains:
\[ 10 \text{ base pairs} \times 2 = 20 \text{ nitrogenous bases} \]
• Given that the DNA strand has 12 full turns, we calculate the total number of nitrogenous bases as follows:
\[ \text{Total bases} = 12 \text{ turns} \times 20 \text{ bases per turn} \]
\[ \text{Total bases} = 240 \]
Step 4: Final Answer:
The total number of nitrogenous bases in a DNA strand with 12 full turns is 240.