dee-en-AY
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is the hereditary material containing genetic instructions for the development and function of living organisms. This double-helix molecule carries the blueprint of life and is fundamental to genetics, medicine, and forensic science.
No. DNA is not in the Scrabble-style word list used by our tools (proper nouns, abbreviations and most slang are excluded), so it cannot be played in Scrabble, Words With Friends or Wordfeud. If it were allowed, its tiles would add up to 4 points in Scrabble.
| Letter | D | N | A | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scrabble | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| Words With Friends | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| Wordfeud | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is the hereditary material found in nearly all living organisms. This remarkable double-helix molecule contains the genetic instructions needed to develop, maintain, and reproduce life. Located primarily in cell nuclei, DNA carries the code that determines everything from eye color to disease susceptibility.
The structure of DNA consists of two complementary strands wound around each other, forming the famous double helix discovered by Watson, Crick, Franklin, and Wilkins. Each strand contains sequences of four chemical bases: adenine (A), thymine (T), guanine (G), and cytosine (C). These bases pair specifically—A with T, G with C—creating the genetic code that makes each organism unique.
DNA serves multiple critical functions: storing genetic information, transmitting hereditary traits from parents to offspring, and providing instructions for protein synthesis through RNA intermediates. Modern applications include genetic testing, personalized medicine, forensic identification, ancestry tracking, and biotechnology applications like gene therapy.
The acronym "DNA" stands for "deoxyribonucleic acid," a term that breaks down into meaningful scientific components. "Deoxy" means "lacking oxygen" (compared to ribose), "ribose" refers to the five-carbon sugar backbone, "nucleic" indicates its location in the cell nucleus, and "acid" describes its chemical properties.
Anagrams: no other word uses exactly the letters of DNA.
Words inside DNA: 5 shorter words can be made from these letters – highest scoring: ANDDANADANNA. See all words from DNA.