A nucleotide is the basic building block of nucleic acids, such as DNA and RNA. It consists of three components: a nitrogenous base (adenine, thymine, cytosine, or guanine), a five-carbon sugar (ribose in RNA and deoxyribose in DNA), and one or more phosphate groups. Nucleotides play essential roles in cellular metabolism and are involved in the storage and transmission of genetic information.
Nucleotide meaning with examples
- In the structure of DNA, each nucleotide is linked to its neighbor by a phosphodiester bond, creating a long, stable chain that encodes genetic information.
- When a cell divides, it must duplicate its DNA, which involves the careful assembly of nucleotides to ensure an accurate copy of the genetic material.
- Research in biotechnology often focuses on modifying nucleotides to create synthetic genes or develop new therapeutics that target specific sequences in DNA or RNA.
- The nucleotide sequence of a gene determines the amino acid sequence of the protein it encodes, showcasing the relationship between the two types of biological molecules.
- In molecular biology labs, scientists often use techniques like PCR (polymerase chain reaction) to amplify specific nucleotide sequences for further analysis.
Nucleotide Synonyms
acid nucleotide base base pair bio-molecule deoxyribonucleotide dna unit genetic building block genetic marker genetic subunit info carrier molecular unit molecule nucleic acid component nucleoside nucleoside phosphate phosphoribosyl ribonucleotide rna unit structural unit sugar-phosphateNucleotide Antonyms
antigen bioactive compound biochemical carbohydrate cell compound enzyme hormone ion lipid macromolecular structure macromolecule metabolite molecule complex organic compound organic structure organism polypeptide protein waterNucleotide Crossword Answers
4 Letters
BASE