What is a nucleotide?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking for a definition of a nucleotide, which is a fundamental concept in molecular biology. A nucleotide is a building block of nucleic acids, such as DNA and RNA.
Answer
A nucleotide is the basic unit of DNA and RNA, made of a nitrogenous base, a sugar, and a phosphate group.
A nucleotide is the basic building block of nucleic acids like DNA and RNA. It is composed of three components: a nitrogenous base (adenine, thymine, guanine, or cytosine in DNA; adenine, uracil, guanine, or cytosine in RNA), a pentose sugar, and a phosphate group.
Answer for screen readers
A nucleotide is the basic building block of nucleic acids like DNA and RNA. It is composed of three components: a nitrogenous base (adenine, thymine, guanine, or cytosine in DNA; adenine, uracil, guanine, or cytosine in RNA), a pentose sugar, and a phosphate group.
More Information
Nucleotides play crucial roles in cellular functions, including energy transfer (as ATP) and as components of coenzymes.
Tips
Don't confuse nucleotides with nucleosides; nucleotides include a phosphate group, while nucleosides do not.
Sources
- Nucleotide - National Human Genome Research Institute - genome.gov
- Definition of nucleotide - NCI Dictionary of Genetics Terms - cancer.gov
- Nucleotide - Wikipedia - en.wikipedia.org
