---
title: "DNA Double Helix Definition and Structure | Model Diplomat"
description: "The DNA double helix is the spiral structure of DNA that stores hereditary information. It's essential in molecular biology and genetics."
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/dna-double-helix"
---

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Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026

TL;DR

- The DNA double helix is the two-stranded, antiparallel spiral structure of deoxyribonucleic acid, the molecule that stores hereditary information in nearly all living organisms.
- Who discovered the structure of the DNA double helix and in what year?
- What are the base-pairing rules in the DNA double helix?
- Why are the two strands of DNA described as antiparallel?
- How does the double helix support DNA replication?

[Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services/glossary)Updated June 22, 2026

The DNA double helix is the two-stranded, antiparallel spiral structure of deoxyribonucleic acid, the molecule that stores hereditary information in nearly all living organisms.

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In 1953 James Watson and Francis Crick published their double-helix model of DNA in Nature, drawing on Rosalind Franklin's X-ray diffraction "Photograph 51" taken at King's College London.

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