What are the three main parts of a nucleotide?

[MarisolLin]

I'm learning about DNA and nucleotides. Can someone explain the three parts that make up a nucleotide and their functions?

 

[BarryRaymo]

The three main parts of a nucleotide are:

1. Phosphate group – links nucleotides together to form the backbone of DNA or RNA.
2. Five-carbon sugar – either deoxyribose (in DNA) or ribose (in RNA).
3. Nitrogenous base – a molecule containing nitrogen; it can be adenine, thymine, cytosine, guanine, or uracil.

 

[SkyDrifter]

The nucleotide consists of three primary components: a phosphate group, a sugar molecule and a nitrogenous base. The phosphate group assists in the construction of the DNA strand connecting to the sugar of the following nucleotide. The backbone also contains the sugar, which is deoxyribose in DNA, and it gives the structure. The genetic information is carried by the nitrogenous base which binds to complementary bases to create the rungs of the DNA ladder. These three sections combined form the components of DNA.

 

[sophie]

A nucleotide consists of 3 main components: a phosphate group, a five-carbon sugar (either deoxyribose or ribose), and a nitrogenous base (which can be adenine, thymine, cytosine, guanine, or uracil).