What are the primary components of nucleic acids?

What are the primary components of nucleic acids?

• A. Amino acids, fatty acids, and sugars
• B. Nucleotides, which include a sugar, phosphate group, and nitrogenous base
• C. Proteins and enzymes
• D. Vitamins and minerals

Answer: (B)

Nucleic acids, which include DNA and RNA, are composed of nucleotides. Each nucleotide is made up of three primary components: a sugar molecule (deoxyribose in DNA and ribose in RNA), a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base. The specific sequence of these nitrogenous bases (adenine, guanine, cytosine, thymine in DNA; uracil replaces thymine in RNA) encodes genetic information, making nucleotides the fundamental building blocks of nucleic acids. This structure allows for the storage, transmission, and expression of genetic information in biological systems. Understanding the composition of nucleic acids is essential for grasping molecular biology and genetics.

Nucleic acids, which include DNA and RNA, are composed of nucleotides. Each nucleotide is made up of three primary components: a sugar molecule (deoxyribose in DNA and ribose in RNA), a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base. The specific sequence of these nitrogenous bases (adenine, guanine, cytosine, thymine in DNA; uracil replaces thymine in RNA) encodes genetic information, making nucleotides the fundamental building blocks of nucleic acids. This structure allows for the storage, transmission, and expression of genetic information in biological systems. Understanding the composition of nucleic acids is essential for grasping molecular biology and genetics.