Describe the structure of DNA and its importance in the cell.

DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is a double helix structure composed of two polynucleotide strands coiled around each other. Each strand consists of a sugar-phosphate backbone and nitrogenous bases (adenine, thymine, guanine, cytosine) that pair specifically (A with T, C with G) across the strands. Its importance lies in being the genetic material that carries all the hereditary information for the cell's development, functioning, growth, and reproduction. It serves as the blueprint for synthesizing proteins and replicating itself to pass genetic traits to daughter cells.