Which term is the basic unit that constitutes nucleic acids such as DNA and RNA?

Which term is the basic unit that constitutes nucleic acids such as DNA and RNA?

• A. Base
• B. Amino acid
• C. Monosaccharide
• D. Nucleotide

Answer: (D)

Nucleic acids are polymers built from individual units called nucleotides. A nucleotide contains a sugar (deoxyribose in DNA or ribose in RNA), a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base. The sugar–phosphate backbone forms the repeating framework of the molecule, while the bases project inward and pair with each other to encode genetic information. Nucleotides link through phosphodiester bonds, joining the phosphate of one nucleotide to the sugar of the next. The other terms describe components used in other biomolecules or parts of nucleotides, but they are not the repeating building blocks of DNA and RNA.

Nucleic acids are polymers built from individual units called nucleotides. A nucleotide contains a sugar (deoxyribose in DNA or ribose in RNA), a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base. The sugar–phosphate backbone forms the repeating framework of the molecule, while the bases project inward and pair with each other to encode genetic information. Nucleotides link through phosphodiester bonds, joining the phosphate of one nucleotide to the sugar of the next. The other terms describe components used in other biomolecules or parts of nucleotides, but they are not the repeating building blocks of DNA and RNA.