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Multiple Choice
Which molecules make up the backbone of DNA?
A
Deoxyribose sugars and phosphate groups
B
Ribose sugars and nitrogenous bases
C
Amino acids and deoxyribose sugars
D
Nitrogenous bases and phosphate groups
Verified step by step guidance
1
Recall the basic structure of DNA, which consists of a long chain of nucleotides.
Understand that each nucleotide is composed of three parts: a phosphate group, a sugar molecule, and a nitrogenous base.
Identify that the sugar in DNA is deoxyribose, which differs from ribose found in RNA by lacking one oxygen atom.
Recognize that the backbone of the DNA strand is formed by alternating sugar (deoxyribose) and phosphate groups linked by phosphodiester bonds.
Note that the nitrogenous bases (adenine, thymine, cytosine, guanine) are attached to the sugar and project inward, pairing with complementary bases on the opposite strand, but they do not form the backbone.