Deoxyribonucleotides

Definition

Deoxyribonucleotides are the building blocks of DNA, consisting of a deoxyribose sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base. They link together to form the DNA polymer through phosphodiester bonds.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Deoxyribonucleotides contain one of four nitrogenous bases: adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), or thymine (T).
2. The deoxyribose sugar in deoxyribonucleotides lacks an oxygen atom at the 2' position compared to ribose in RNA.
3. Phosphodiester bonds connect deoxyribonucleotides between the 3' hydroxyl group of one nucleotide and the 5' phosphate group of another.
4. The sequence of deoxyribonucleotides in DNA encodes genetic information used for protein synthesis.
5. Deoxyribonucleotide triphosphates (dNTPs) are the activated forms used by DNA polymerase during DNA replication.

Review Questions

Related terms

Nucleotide:

A molecule consisting of a nitrogenous base, a sugar, and one or more phosphate groups.

DNA Polymerase:

An enzyme that synthesizes new strands of DNA using existing strands as templates.

Phosphodiester Bond:

A chemical bond that connects successive nucleotides in a polynucleotide chain.