makeStylizedDNA

For newbies, make sure that this file is in the same directory as StylizedDNABase.max. Then go to MAXScript > Open Script... to open this file. In the MAXScript window do File->Evaluate All (ctrl-E). The first row of DNA should pop up immediately, and then the key will stutter-blink while the MAXScript Listener will get the base letter strings printed to them (this will take a few seconds) until the display catches up.

Tested on 3DS Max 6.0

For atomically precise DNA, I would recommend the powerful (and free) Nanoengineer by Nanorex (www.nanorex.com). (Full disclosure: I'm on the scientific advisory board of Nanorex, but I also think it's a great tool - otherwise I would have declined.)

I hope you find makeStylizedDNA.ms useful. It is open source and comes with no guarentee.

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Here is the experimental data from biology that explains what DNA really is:

1 helical turn = 10 2/3 bases, 3.63 nm
32 bases = three full turns or 33.75 degrees/base
0.3403125 nm/base

There should be crossovers every 1.5 turns (or every odd number of half turns);

'inter-helix gap' depends on crossover spacing,
~1 nm for 1.5-turn spacing and ~1.5 nm for 2.5-turn spacing.

In B-DNA the major grove is wider (1.2 vs 0.6 nm) and deeper (.85 vs .75) than the minor grove. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/bv.fcgi?rid=stryer.figgrp.3763

As you can see, the B-form of DNA is a very floppy molecule. The separation of groves (along axis of DNA) was 2.255 nm (major) and 1.075 nm (minor) (3.33 total); http://webphysics.davidson.edu/alumni/jocowan/FinalP/finres.htm
Or 96.66 degrees (measured in 3DS Max). Color Standard thyamine is yellow; guanine is green, cytosine is red, and adenine is blue