The hydrogen bonds are broken in order to unzip the DNA strand. This all occurs during the DNA replication process.
Hydrogen Bonds
During DNA replication, the bonds broken between N-bases are hydrogen bonds. These hydrogen bonds are relatively weak compared to the covalent bonds that hold the sugar-phosphate backbone together. The breaking of hydrogen bonds allows the two strands of the DNA double helix to separate, providing access for DNA polymerase to create new complementary strands.
The first thing that happens is a replication structure binds to the DNA molecule. This is usually a signalling molecule or some type of protein. Next, this replication structure attracts DNA helicase enzymes which "unzip" the double stranded helix.
Nitrogenous bases are bonded with hydrogen because hydrogen bonding is a relatively weak intermolecular force that allows for the bases to easily form and break bonds. This allows DNA strands to unzip during replication and transcription processes.
The two strands of DNA that make up the double helix are connected by hydrogen bonds between the base pairs. For DNA to replicate, it must continuously zip and unzip the two strands. If those strands were held together by anything stronger than a hydrogen bond (say covalent bonds), it would require too much energy to unzip them and DNA would not be able to replicate. Were they to be held together by anything weaker dipole-dipole or dispersion forces), they probably would not stay together at all.
The bonding found in DNA is primarily hydrogen bonding. These hydrogen bonds form between complementary bases on the two DNA strands, holding the strands together in the iconic double helix structure. Additionally, there are also covalent bonds, specifically phosphodiester bonds, that link the individual nucleotides within each DNA strand.
DNA helicase "unzip," or separate, a strand of DNA at positions called origins. This means that the hydrogen bonds between complementary base pairs are removed (DNA is double stranded!). When they separate double-stranded DNA into single strands, it allows each strand to be copied (replication). DNA helicases use the energy stored in a molecule called ATP to break the bonds, which serves as the energy currency of cells.
what holds the sides of the DNA ladder together
DNA helicase is the enzyme responsible for unzipping the double-stranded DNA during processes like replication, transcription, and repair. DNA helicase works by breaking the hydrogen bonds between the two strands of DNA, allowing the DNA to separate and expose the nucleotide bases for replication or transcription to occur.
Helicase attaches to the DNA strand at the replication fork, which is the region where the double-stranded DNA is unwound to separate the two strands during DNA replication. Helicase helps to unzip the double helix by breaking hydrogen bonds between the base pairs.
The answer depends on the circumstances! In a cell, during DNA replication or during translation, the two strands in a DNA molecule are separated by enzymes called topoisomerases and helicases. In a solution, the two strands of a DNA molecule can be separated by being heated. This is called DNA melting. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DNA http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DNA_melting
DNA helicase "unzip," or separate, a strand of DNA at positions called origins. This means that the hydrogen bonds between complementary base pairs are removed (DNA is double stranded!). When they separate double-stranded DNA into single strands, it allows each strand to be copied (replication). DNA helicases use the energy stored in a molecule called ATP to break the bonds, which serves as the energy currency of cells.