Multiple Choice
Which characteristic pertains to DNA but not to RNA under typical cellular conditions?
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7. DNA and Chromosome Structure
DNA Structure
Multiple Choice
In a single strand of DNA, which chemical group links the deoxyribose sugars together to form the sugar-phosphate backbone?
A
Phosphate group (phosphodiester linkage)
B
Hydrogen bonds between complementary bases
C
Peptide bonds between nucleotides
D
Glycosidic bonds between adjacent sugars
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand the structure of a single strand of DNA, which consists of a chain of nucleotides. Each nucleotide is made up of three components: a phosphate group, a deoxyribose sugar, and a nitrogenous base.
Recognize that the sugar-phosphate backbone is formed by linking the deoxyribose sugars of adjacent nucleotides together through chemical bonds involving the phosphate groups.
Identify the specific type of bond that connects the 3' carbon of one deoxyribose sugar to the 5' carbon of the next sugar via a phosphate group. This bond is called a phosphodiester linkage.
Differentiate this linkage from other types of bonds mentioned: hydrogen bonds connect complementary bases between strands, peptide bonds link amino acids in proteins, and glycosidic bonds connect the sugar to the nitrogenous base within a nucleotide.
Conclude that the chemical group responsible for linking the deoxyribose sugars in the sugar-phosphate backbone is the phosphate group forming phosphodiester linkages.
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