DNA is a chain of nucleotides, which are the basic building blocks of DNA molecules. Each nucleotide in a DNA strand consists of three components:
Phosphate Group: A phosphate group is a chemical group containing phosphorus and oxygen atoms. It is one of the components that make up the backbone of the DNA molecule.
Deoxyribose Sugar: Deoxyribose is a five-carbon sugar molecule that is also part of the DNA backbone. It alternates with phosphate groups to form the sugar-phosphate backbone.
Nitrogenous Base: DNA contains four types of nitrogenous bases: adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G), and thymine (T). The sequence of these bases along the DNA strand carries genetic information and is responsible for the genetic code.
The sequence of nucleotides in DNA strands encodes genetic information and serves as a template for the synthesis of RNA and proteins, which are essential for the functioning of living organisms.