Multiple Choice
Phosphate is a component of which part of DNA?
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7. DNA and Chromosome Structure
DNA Structure
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In a DNA molecule, the phosphate serves which of the following functions?
A
As the coding region for genetic information
B
As a component of the backbone, linking adjacent nucleotides
C
As the site of base pairing between complementary strands
D
As the molecule that directly encodes amino acids
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand the structure of a DNA molecule, which consists of nucleotides. Each nucleotide is made up of three components: a phosphate group, a sugar (deoxyribose), and a nitrogenous base.
Recognize that the phosphate group is part of the sugar-phosphate backbone of DNA. It links the 3' carbon of one sugar to the 5' carbon of the next sugar, creating a strong covalent bond called a phosphodiester bond.
Recall that the coding region for genetic information is actually the sequence of nitrogenous bases (adenine, thymine, cytosine, and guanine), not the phosphate group.
Note that base pairing occurs between nitrogenous bases on complementary strands through hydrogen bonds, not involving the phosphate group directly.
Conclude that the phosphate group's primary role is structural, forming the backbone that holds the nucleotides together in a DNA strand, rather than encoding genetic information or participating in base pairing.
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