1. Sugar-phosphate backbone: This is the structural framework of the DNA molecule. It consists of alternating deoxyribose sugar molecules and phosphate groups linked together by phosphodiester bonds.
2. Nitrogenous bases: While not part of the backbone itself, the nitrogenous bases are attached to the deoxyribose sugar molecules and play a critical role in holding the two strands of the double helix together. These bases include adenine (A), thymine (T), guanine (G), and cytosine (C).
In summary:
* The sugar-phosphate backbone provides the structural support for the DNA molecule.
* The nitrogenous bases are connected to the sugar molecules and pair with each other (A with T, and G with C) to form the double helix structure.
