* Sugar: This is deoxyribose, a five-carbon sugar.
* Phosphate: This is a negatively charged group.
These sugar and phosphate molecules form the backbone of the DNA molecule, running in opposite directions (antiparallel). The nitrogenous bases (adenine, guanine, cytosine, and thymine) are attached to the sugar molecules and project inwards, forming the "rungs" of the DNA ladder.
