A nucleotide is composed of which three components?

A nucleotide is composed of which three components?

• A. Sugar
• B. Phosphate, Sugar, and Base
• C. Phosphate, Sugar, and Lipid
• D. Phosphate, Base, and Water

Answer: (B)

The basic unit of nucleic acids is the nucleotide, which is built from three parts: a sugar molecule, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base. The sugar (deoxyribose in DNA or ribose in RNA) forms the backbone, connected by phosphodiester bonds to the phosphate groups that bridge successive sugars. The nitrogenous base provides the genetic information through specific base pairing. So the trio that makes up a nucleotide is phosphate, sugar, and a base. The other options add something not part of nucleotides (lipid or water) or omit one of the essential components.

The basic unit of nucleic acids is the nucleotide, which is built from three parts: a sugar molecule, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base. The sugar (deoxyribose in DNA or ribose in RNA) forms the backbone, connected by phosphodiester bonds to the phosphate groups that bridge successive sugars. The nitrogenous base provides the genetic information through specific base pairing. So the trio that makes up a nucleotide is phosphate, sugar, and a base. The other options add something not part of nucleotides (lipid or water) or omit one of the essential components.