A DNA fragment is

Options

A. Positively charged
B. A buffer
C. Negatively charged
D. Neutral

Answer

To solve the question regarding the charge of a DNA fragment, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding DNA Structure**:
- DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) is composed of three main components: deoxyribose sugar, phosphate groups, and nitrogenous bases (adenine, thymine, cytosine, and guanine).

2. **Identifying the Charge of Components**:
- Among these components, the phosphate groups are crucial because they carry a negative charge. Each phosphate group in the DNA backbone contributes to the overall charge of the DNA molecule.

3. **Charge of DNA**:
- Since DNA is a polymer made up of many nucleotides, and each nucleotide contains a negatively charged phosphate group, the entire DNA molecule, including any fragments of it, will also carry a negative charge.

4. **Conclusion**:
- Therefore, when we refer to a DNA fragment, it will also be negatively charged due to the presence of these phosphate groups.

5. **Final Answer**:
- The DNA fragment is negatively charged. Hence, the correct option is C: negatively charged.