How do nucleic acids fit in cells if they cover such large distances?

[sameeralord]

Hello guys,

I have a very quick question. They say nucleic acids are very large molecules and they cover some large distance I can not remember. Are they saying the length of these molecules are long or the size(meaning they are big with width). I don't understand how they can fit in a cell if they are that big. I can understand how they can wind a lot inside a cell, but that only explains the length. It is those trivia like things where they say this can cover the size of a tennis court and such things. Just give me your opinion. Thanks

 

[Mapes]

This may be useful: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DNA" . Does this link answer your questions?

 

[Deoxyribose]

Let's look at chromosome 1. It has ~250million base pairs. Each base pair is about 3.4 angstroms long. And 1 angstrom = 1x10^-10 meters.

250 million base pairs x 3.4angstroms/base pair = 850 million angstroms long.

850 million angstroms x 1x10^-10meters/angstrom = .085 meters. Chromosome 1, the largest chromosome, is roughly 8.5centimeters long when stretched out completely. What allows such a long molecule to fit into a small nucleus are the histone proteins that wind DNA into tiny spindles, which are then wrapped around themselves again.

If it helps, if you could cut a meter stick into a billion pieces, each piece would be 10 angstroms long.