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Multiple Choice
Which of the following best describes the structural difference between ATP and dATP?
A
dATP has a uracil base instead of an adenine base.
B
ATP contains three phosphate groups, while dATP contains only two.
C
dATP lacks a hydroxyl group at the 2' position of the ribose sugar, whereas ATP has a hydroxyl group at this position.
D
ATP is a deoxyribonucleotide, while dATP is a ribonucleotide.
Verified step by step guidance
1
Step 1: Begin by understanding the structural components of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) and dATP (deoxyadenosine triphosphate). Both molecules consist of three main parts: a nitrogenous base (adenine), a sugar (ribose or deoxyribose), and phosphate groups.
Step 2: Focus on the sugar component of ATP and dATP. ATP contains ribose, which has hydroxyl (-OH) groups at both the 2' and 3' positions of the sugar. dATP, on the other hand, contains deoxyribose, which lacks the hydroxyl group at the 2' position, having only a hydrogen atom instead.
Step 3: Compare the nitrogenous bases. Both ATP and dATP have adenine as their nitrogenous base, so there is no difference in this aspect.
Step 4: Examine the phosphate groups. Both ATP and dATP contain three phosphate groups attached to the sugar, so the number of phosphate groups is identical in both molecules.
Step 5: Conclude that the key structural difference between ATP and dATP lies in the sugar component: ATP has a hydroxyl group at the 2' position of the ribose sugar, while dATP lacks this hydroxyl group, having a hydrogen atom instead.