Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Nucleotide Structure
Nucleotides, the building blocks of DNA, consist of a phosphate group, a sugar (deoxyribose in DNA), and a nitrogenous base (adenine, thymine, cytosine, or guanine). The arrangement of these components is crucial for understanding how nucleotides link together to form DNA strands.
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Phosphodiester Bond
Phosphodiester bonds are the covalent linkages that connect the 5' phosphate group of one nucleotide to the 3' hydroxyl group of another. This bond forms the backbone of the DNA strand, allowing for the stability and integrity of the genetic material.
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DNA Strand Orientation
DNA strands have directionality, indicated as 5' to 3'. This orientation is essential for understanding how nucleotides are added during DNA replication and transcription, as well as how the strands pair through complementary base pairing, which is vital for the structure of the double helix.
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