The DNA of E. coli has ................. base pairs.

Options

A. `6.6xx10^(6)`bp
B. `4.6xx10^(6)`bp
C. `4.6xx10^(7)`bp
D. `4.6xx10^(11)`bp

Explanation

To determine the number of base pairs in the DNA of E. coli, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understand the Structure of E. coli DNA**:
- E. coli is a prokaryotic organism, meaning it does not have a well-defined nucleus. Its DNA is organized in a circular form and is not scattered throughout the cell.

2. **Determine the Length of E. coli DNA**:
- The total length of E. coli DNA is given as 1.36 mm.

3. **Convert Length to Meters**:
- Since the length is given in millimeters, we need to convert it to meters for consistency with the base pair distance.
- \( 1.36 \, \text{mm} = 1.36 \times 10^{-3} \, \text{m} \)

4. **Identify the Distance Between Base Pairs**:
- The distance between two base pairs is given as 0.34 nanometers.
- Convert this to meters:
- \( 0.34 \, \text{nm} = 0.34 \times 10^{-9} \, \text{m} \)

5. **Calculate the Number of Base Pairs**:
- To find the number of base pairs, divide the total length of the DNA by the distance between the base pairs:
\[ \text{Number of Base Pairs} = \frac{\text{Total Length of DNA}}{\text{Distance Between Base Pairs}} \]
\[ = \frac{1.36 \times 10^{-3} \, \text{m}}{0.34 \times 10^{-9} \, \text{m}} \]

6. **Perform the Calculation**:
- Calculate the above expression:
\[ = \frac{1.36}{0.34} \times 10^{6} \]
\[ \approx 4 \times 10^{6} \text{ base pairs} \]

7. **Conclusion**:
- Therefore, the DNA of E. coli has approximately \( 4 \times 10^{6} \) base pairs.