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Multiple Choice
Which sugar is a component of RNA nucleotides?
A
Deoxyribose
B
Fructose
C
Glucose
D
Ribose
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the structure of RNA nucleotides: RNA (ribonucleic acid) is composed of nucleotides, which consist of three components: a phosphate group, a nitrogenous base, and a sugar molecule.
Identify the sugar molecule in RNA nucleotides: The sugar in RNA is a pentose sugar, meaning it has five carbon atoms. This sugar is distinct from the sugar found in DNA nucleotides.
Compare the sugar in RNA to the sugar in DNA: In DNA, the sugar is deoxyribose, which lacks an oxygen atom on the 2' carbon. In RNA, the sugar is ribose, which has a hydroxyl group (-OH) attached to the 2' carbon.
Eliminate incorrect options: Fructose and glucose are monosaccharides commonly involved in energy metabolism, but they are not components of nucleotides. Deoxyribose is specific to DNA, not RNA.
Conclude that ribose is the correct sugar: Ribose is the sugar molecule found in RNA nucleotides, providing the structural framework for the RNA strand.