1. A sugar molecule: This is deoxyribose, a 5-carbon sugar.
2. A phosphate group: This is a negatively charged molecule containing phosphorus.
3. A nitrogenous base: There are four types of nitrogenous bases:
* Adenine (A)
* Guanine (G)
* Cytosine (C)
* Thymine (T)
The nucleotides are linked together by phosphodiester bonds between the sugar of one nucleotide and the phosphate group of the next.
Key features of DNA:
* Double helix structure: The two strands of DNA run in opposite directions and are held together by hydrogen bonds between the nitrogenous bases.
* Base pairing rules: Adenine always pairs with thymine (A-T) and guanine always pairs with cytosine (G-C).
* Genetic code: The sequence of nucleotides in DNA determines the genetic code, which is the instructions for building and maintaining an organism.
Let me know if you have any other questions about DNA!
