Material:

• Scissors;
• Ruler;
• String (optional – only if the nucleic acid is a straw and not a poster paper);
• Sewing needle or other similar object with average thickness;
• Yellow, blue, green and red contact paper (optional – only if the nucleic acid is a straw and the straw has only one color or other colors that are not yellow, green, blue and red);
• Metal stem, for example: wire, bicycle wheel rim, or umbrella stretcher;
• Adhesive tape;
• Wood base, or other material;
• A small perforated base for virus maintenance over the wood base (Styrofoam, cork, rubber, etc.);
• Thin poster paper (optional – only if the nucleic acid is not a straw);
• Drinking straws: They can be straight or articulated. For straight straws and nucleic acid not made of poster paper, 44 straws must be used:
  • 30 of the same color to form 20 equilateral triangles;
  • 3 of the same color, but a different color from that used for the 30 straws to form glycoproteins;
  • 4 yellow, blue, green and red to organise the dinucleotides or 4 of any color to be covered with yellow, blue, green and red contact paper;
  • 7 straws, preferably of the same color used for the 30 straws, to be cut and to form, together with the side surplus, the remaining fittings. 7 straws, preferably of the same color used for the 30 straws, to be cut and to form, together with the side surplus, the remaining fittings.

In case the straws are articulated and the nucleic acid is not made of poster paper, 64 straws must be used, 60 of the same color to form 20 equilateral triangles and 4 straws in yellow, blue, green and red color to form dinucleotides, or 4 straws of any color to be covered with contact paper of your favourite colors.