The term MINIMAL DNA is composed of two words, 'MINIMAL' and 'DNA'. MINIMAL refers to the smallest amount or degree of something, while DNA stands for deoxyribonucleic acid, which is a molecule that carries genetic information in all living organisms. The crossword solution for this term is STRAND, which refers to a single thread of DNA. DNA strands are composed of four different nucleotides, which are the building blocks of DNA. These nucleotides are adenine, thymine, guanine, and cytosine.