Template definition in Biology to do with DNA?

In my book, it says that one strand of a DNA molecule can serve as a template for missing a new complementary strand. What does this mean? I know that hydrogen bonds hold the nitrogenous bases together, and covalent bonds between sugar and phosphate groups on the outside handrail of the ladder hold the chains together. However, I have no idea what the defintion of template means in this context.





Also, there was a question on my study guide:





The primary function of DNA in cells is to:





a. serve as a storage form for unused nucleotides


b. occupy space in the nucleus to keep the nucleus from collapsing


c. store information that tells the cells which proteins to make


d. serve as a template for making long, spiral carbohydrates.





I chose C, because it is the only one that makes sense, but choice D bothers me even though I don't think they make spiral carbohydrates. The template word is just so ambiguous in my mind.





Help would be much appreciated.

Template definition in Biology to do with DNA?
Template means pattern.





When DNA is taken apart or "unzipped" down the middle between the nitrogen bases, then each side acts as a pattern for the parts that are missing. The new parts only fit in a certain way. If one side says ATCG, then the only parts that will fit in to make the complementary strand are TAGC. It's like taking away parts of a jigsaw puzzle. Only certain puzzle pieces will fit in the missing places.





Answer C is the correct answer. They tried to fool you by putting in the word template. Just think of template as meaning "pattern" and see if it makes sense to you. Does DNA serve as a pattern for making carbohydrates? No. DNA has the instructions for making proteins, never carbohydrates.
Reply:well keep in mind theres also RNA... when a strand of dna is duplicated it doesnt require rna, but when rna is used as a template, in mRNA it is complementary, (opposite to *but urcail replaces thymine*) and in trna it is identitical but since there is no thymine in RNA, once again uracil replaces the thymine.
Reply:Understnading template strands is really quite easy once you learn how to do it. First you need to know that DNA has four nitrogenous bases: adenine(A), thymine(T), cytosine(C), and guanine(G). In, RNA, thymine is replaced by uracil(U). In DNA,


A always bonds to T, and C always binds to G. IN RNA A binds to U. So, if one strand has the sequence TTAGCCTA, then the opposite strand would be AATCGGAT. An example RNA sequence would be AUCGAU, the opposite would be UAGCUA. YOu know this because since A binds to T, every time an A appears, it serves as a template for a T to be created. I hope you got it now. OH and the answer to the multiple choice is C.
Reply:first - c is correct





the template is because DNA is a double strand - think of it as a pair or mirror image - if there is a mistake in one of the two strands specialized enzymes can correct that by fixing the mistake by discarding the "wrong" strand and replacing it with a copy of the not damaged strand

floral arrangements