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Multiple Choice
Which proteins form ionic interactions with the negatively charged phosphates of the DNA backbone?
A
Ligases
B
Helicases
C
Histones
D
DNA polymerases
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the structure of DNA: DNA has a backbone made of sugar and phosphate groups. The phosphate groups carry a negative charge, which influences how proteins interact with DNA.
Recall the role of histones: Histones are positively charged proteins that bind to the negatively charged phosphate groups on the DNA backbone, helping to package and organize DNA into chromatin.
Consider the other proteins listed: Ligases are enzymes that join DNA strands, helicases unwind DNA strands, and DNA polymerases synthesize new DNA strands. None of these primarily interact with the phosphate backbone through ionic interactions.
Focus on the nature of ionic interactions: Since phosphate groups are negatively charged, proteins that form ionic bonds with them must have positively charged amino acid residues, which is characteristic of histones.
Conclude that histones are the proteins that form ionic interactions with the negatively charged phosphates of the DNA backbone, stabilizing the DNA structure within the nucleus.