DNA: a base or an acid?

[Harold Rees]

Miiko Sokka (meeco at sci.fi) wrote:
: I wonder why in the name of DNA, deoksiribonucleic acid, is the acid 
: part, because the DNA molecule has mostly base-parts on it?

It is an acid because of the phosphate groups on the sugar-phosphate 
backbone.  The bases in DNA are weak compared to the negatively charged 
phosphate groups.

--
Hal Rees                                ********************************
Monell Chemical Senses Center           *"Oh well, whatever, nevermind"*
Philadelphia, PA                        *  -Kurt Cobain                * 
hrees at mail.sas.upenn.edu                ********************************