Deoxyribonucleic acid (/diˌɒksiˌraɪbɵ.njuːˌkleɪ.ɨk ˈaesɪd/ ; ˈæSɪD) dna is a molecule that carries most of the genetic instructions used in the, development functioning and reproduction of all known living organisms and many. virusesell division is essential for an organism to grow, but, when a cell divides, it must replicate the DNA in its genome so that the two daughter cells have the same genetic information as their parent. The double-stranded structure of DNA provides a simple mechanism for DNA replication.