Nucleotide
a molecule that contains sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base that links together to from RNA and DNA
A nucleotide is a basic building block of nucleic acids, such as DNA and RNA. It consists of three core components: a nitrogenous base, a pentose sugar, and a phosphate group.
The nitrogenous base is a compound that contains nitrogen and plays a crucial role in DNA and RNA structure. There are four types of nitrogenous bases found in DNA: adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), and thymine (T). In RNA, uracil (U) replaces thymine.
The pentose sugar is a five-carbon sugar that is either ribose (found in RNA) or deoxyribose (found in DNA). The sugar provides the backbone of the nucleotide, connecting the phosphate group to the nitrogenous base.
The phosphate group is composed of a phosphorus atom and four oxygen atoms bonded together. It provides a negative charge to the nucleotide and links adjacent nucleotides together through phosphodiester bonds, forming a polymer.
Nucleotides function as the monomers that make up the long chains of DNA and RNA molecules. These chains are essential for storing and transmitting genetic information in all living organisms.
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