eli5: Why does DNA twist on itself?

Question

eli5: Why does DNA twist on itself?

In: Biology

Answer 1

Basically so they can be compact when they wind themselves around histones, the DNA chains are very long and have to fit inside a relatively small cell. https://youtu.be/7A2pu3XxPSg

Answer 2

DNA is very long – it holds lots of information and it needs lots of space to do that. According to Google, each human cell contains about three meters of DNA.

Now, the best way for all that DNA to fit in a single cell is to twist it around itself. The reason DNA coils in a helix shape (what you probably think of as DNA) is because then it acts like a single string that can be coiled around itself to save space.

Feel free to ask more if you have more questions.

Answer 3

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