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Where is DNA located within a eukaryotic cell?

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is found in the membrane-bound nucleus within a eukaryotic cell. It contains the genetic blueprint of the organism and contains the instructions to produce all the necessary proteins for life to continue. The central dogma is DNA-RNA-Protein. This describes the flow of information from the DNA in the nucleus, to RNA which copies the genetic code and can travel out to the cytoplasm, where the genetic code can be translated into proteins at the ribosomes.


DNA is a double-stranded molecule in the shape of a double helix and contains a sugar-phosphate backbone with complementary base-pairs of nucleotides in the center, held together by hydrogen bonds. The bases are adenine, thymine, cytosine and guanine--with adenine and thymine forming pairs and cytosine and guanine forming pairs.


The mitochondria is an additional location for DNA to be found in the eukaryotic cell. At fertilization, an egg cell contains mitochondrial DNA while the sperm will not contribute any mitochondrial DNA to the offspring. Therefore, the few genes found in the mitochondrial DNA pass from mother to all her offspring. 


To summarize, the chromosomes which contain the genetic blueprint and consist of DNA are found in the nucleus of a eukaryotic cell, with a small circular DNA found in each mitochondria within the cell.

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