MCAT Biology › Nucleotides and Nucleic Acid Dervatives
How many hydrogen bonds does it take to hold adenine and thymine together? Cytosine and guanine?
2; 3
1; 3
2; 4
2; 2
1; 2
In order to hold a base pair together, the hydrogen bond(s) between the bases must be stable. This stability depends on many factors, such as the size and shape of the bases. The adenine-thymine base pair is most stable when held together by 2 hydrogen bonds, while the cytosine-guanine base pair is most stable when held together by 3 hydrogen bonds.