The purine and pyrimidine bases branch off this backbone.Įach phosphate group has one acidic hydrogen atom that is ionized at physiological pH. The backbone of the chain consists of alternating phosphate and sugar units (2-deoxyribose in DNA and ribose in RNA). This unit joins to a third nucleotide, and the process is repeated to produce a long nucleic acid chain (Figure 14.2.1). Nucleotides are joined together through the phosphate group of one nucleotide connecting in an ester linkage to the OH group on the third carbon atom of the sugar unit of a second nucleotide.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |