What components make up a DNA nucleotide?

What components make up a DNA nucleotide?

• A. A sugar and phosphate only.
• B. A sugar (deoxyribose), a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base (A, T, C, G).
• C. A sugar and a lipid.
• D. A sugar, a phosphate, and a fat.

Answer: (B)

DNA nucleotides are built from three parts: a deoxyribose sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base (adenine, thymine, cytosine, or guanine). The sugar and phosphate form the backbone of the DNA strand, linked by phosphodiester bonds, while the base extends from the sugar and carries the genetic information. The four bases pair specifically (A with T, C with G) to help hold the two DNA strands together in the double helix. The other options don’t fit because they omit a component or include lipids/fats, which aren’t part of a nucleotide.

DNA nucleotides are built from three parts: a deoxyribose sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base (adenine, thymine, cytosine, or guanine). The sugar and phosphate form the backbone of the DNA strand, linked by phosphodiester bonds, while the base extends from the sugar and carries the genetic information. The four bases pair specifically (A with T, C with G) to help hold the two DNA strands together in the double helix. The other options don’t fit because they omit a component or include lipids/fats, which aren’t part of a nucleotide.