B-DNA

(To the tune of “YMCA”) / Recording by Tim Karplus

Phosphates
Are in nucleotides
I say phosphates
Cover bases inside
I say phosphates
Span the 5 and 3 primes
There’s no need – to – be – real – mixed – up

Bases
Carry info you see
I say bases
Are all complement’ry
I say bases
Like A,T,G and C
They have got – to – be – all – paired – up

It’s fun to play with some B-DNA
It’s got a boatload of G-C-T-A
It’s got everything
A polymerase needs
When you melt all the A’s and T’s

It’s fun to play with some B-DNA
It’s got a boatload of G-C-T-A
You can make RNAs
With a po-ly-mer-ase
Just by pairing up U’s with A’s

Proteins
Full of amino A’s
I say proteins
Come from mRNAs
I say proteins
Require tRNAs
There is more – you – need – to – trans-late

Codons
Like our friend U-A-C
I say codons
Come in clusters of three
I say codons
Have one base wobble –ee
Now you can – go – forth – and – tran-slate

It’s fun to play with some B-DNA
It’s got a boatload of G-C-T-A
With those hydrogen Bs
And right-hand he-li-ces
Anti-par-a-llel fives and threes

It’s fun to play with some B-DNA
It’s got a boatload of G-C-T-A
With those hydrogen Bs
And right-hand he-li-ces
Anti-par-a-llel fives and threes

It’s fun to play with some B-DNA
It’s got a boatload of G-C-T-A
With those hydrogen Bs
And right-hand he-li-ces
Anti-par-a-llel fives and threes