How to Make a DNA Model Out of Beads
A DNA model is shaped like a double helix, or a spiral ladder. The model has two vertical side rails connected by horizontal rungs. The side rails are made from a sugar and a phosphate component, and the rungs are formed by a combination of four bases: adenine, thymine, guanine and cytosine. The way the four bases are combined in a strand of DNA results in the differences between each human being. To make a DNA model out of beads, you'll need six distinct colors, one to represent each component and base of DNA.
Things You'll Need
- Pipe cleaners
- 18 white pony beads
- 16 red pony beads
- Measuring tape
- Wire cutters
- 4 pink pony beads
- 4 green pony beads
- 4 yellow pony beads
- 4 blue pony beads
- Pencil
Instructions
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1
Thread the two pipe cleaners with alternating white and red pony beads. Each pipe cleaner should have nine white beads and eight red beads. Begin threading the pipe cleaner with the white bead, which represents the sugar component of DNA. The red pony bead represents the phosphate component. Finish with another small loop to hold the beads in place.
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2
Cut eight 1 1/4-inch long strips of pipe cleaner. Bend one tip of each strip into a 90-degree angle.
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3
Thread four of the eight strips with one pink pony bead and one green pony bead. These beads represent two of the bases in the DNA model. DNA bases are always present in pairs; adenine always pairs with thymine, and guanine always pairs with cytosine.
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4
Thread the remaining four strips with one yellow and one blue pony bead. These represent the remaining base pairs of the DNA model.
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5
Place the two beaded pipe cleaners from Step 2 side by side vertically, like the rails of a ladder. Space the pipe cleaners 1 inch apart.
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6
Attach the ends of the eight pipe cleaners between the two beaded pipe cleaners by twisting the ends of the rungs around the rails. Space the rungs of the DNA model about 1 inch apart.
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7
Wrap the DNA model around a pencil to create the spiral shape.
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