Question

What are the three chemical components of a nucleotide? Draw and label these on the structures of a double ring and a single ring nucleotide. Label all atoms other than carbon or hydrogen (e.g. nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorous). Be sure to draw double bonds where present

Answer 1

A labelling of the parts of the nucleotide is shown in the image attached.

The building block of DNA and RNA, a nucleotide, is made up of three essential parts. First, through phosphoester linkages, the phosphate group forms the backbone and contributes a negative charge. Second, the pentose sugar—either ribose or deoxyribose—provides the structural support and connects the nitrogenous base and phosphate group.

Last but not least, the nitrogenous base that forms the hydrogen-bonded rungs of the DNA or RNA ladder is categorized as a pyrimidine (cytosine, thymine in DNA), or a purine (adenine, guanine).