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Antiparallel Strand Orientation

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State

DNA's two strands run antiparallel, one oriented 5' to 3' and its partner oriented 3' to 5' across the same helix.

Show

A phosphate on one strand's 5' carbon end faces its partner strand's 3' hydroxyl end at each end of the helix.

Watch for

Antiparallel orientation is not the same fact as complementary base pairing — a helix needs both to hold its shape.