Practice problem

Nucleic Acids — Overview & Importance in Biology

The five common nucleobases. Adenine, a 5-membered ring conjoined to a 6-membered ring with a primary amine attached to the 6 membered ring. Guaninea, a 5-membered ring conjoined to a 6-membered ring with a primary amine, and ketone attached to the 6 membered ring, and a secondary amine within the ring. Cytosine, a 6 membered ring with a primary amine and ketone in para positions across a nitrogen. Thymine, a 6-membered ring with 2 ketones in para positions across a secondary amine. Uracil, a 6-membered ring, ring with 2 ketones in para positions across a secondary amine. — Image source: By Michal Sobkowski CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Nucleobases bond to each other within DNA through hydrogen bonding. As a reminder, hydrogen bonds are formed between an oxygen or nitrogen on one molecule and a hydrogen which is covalently bonded to either an oxygen or nitrogen on a different molecule. Based on these structures, and hydrogen bonding, which pair of bases will bond to each other?