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Multiple Choice
Which of the following choices describes the structure of a nucleotide found in DNA?
A
A phosphate group, a ribose sugar, and a nitrogenous base
B
A deoxyribose sugar and a nitrogenous base only
C
A ribose sugar and a phosphate group only
D
A phosphate group, a deoxyribose sugar, and a nitrogenous base
Verified step by step guidance
1
Step 1: Begin by understanding the basic structure of a nucleotide, which is the building block of nucleic acids like DNA and RNA. A nucleotide consists of three main components: a sugar molecule, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base.
Step 2: Differentiate between the sugars found in DNA and RNA. DNA contains deoxyribose sugar, which lacks an oxygen atom on the 2' carbon, while RNA contains ribose sugar, which has an oxygen atom on the 2' carbon.
Step 3: Recall that the phosphate group is attached to the 5' carbon of the sugar molecule, and the nitrogenous base is attached to the 1' carbon of the sugar molecule. This arrangement is consistent in DNA nucleotides.
Step 4: Identify the nitrogenous bases found in DNA. These include adenine (A), thymine (T), cytosine (C), and guanine (G). These bases pair specifically to form the double helix structure of DNA.
Step 5: Combine the components to describe the structure of a DNA nucleotide: it consists of a phosphate group, a deoxyribose sugar, and one of the nitrogenous bases (A, T, C, or G). This matches the correct answer provided in the problem.