Question

Which of the following best describes the structural difference between a nucleoside and a nucleotide?

विकल्प

• A nucleoside lacks the phosphate group; a nucleotide contains all three components (base, sugar, and phosphate)

• A nucleoside is found in DNA; a nucleotide is found in RNA

• A nucleoside contains only the phosphate group; a nucleotide contains the base and sugar

• A nucleoside has a ribose sugar; a nucleotide has a deoxyribose sugar

Answer 1

A nucleoside consists of a nitrogenous base combined with a pentose sugar (lacking the phosphate group). A nucleotide is a nucleoside plus one or more phosphate groups. The addition of the phosphate group distinguishes a nucleotide from a nucleoside and allows nucleotides to link together via phosphodiester bonds to form polynucleotide chains.