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Biology > Nucleotide

What is Nucleotide?

A nucleotide is an organic molecule with a basic

composition of a nitrogenous base, pentose
sugar and phosphate.

DNA and RNA are polynucleotides, which contain

a chain of nucleotides monomers with different
nitrogenous bases. Nucleotides are essential for
carrying out metabolic and physiological
activities.

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Biomolecules

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ATP (Adenosine triphosphate) acts as the

energy currency of cells. Nucleotides form
various coenzymes and cofactors, such as NAD,
NADP, FAD, coenzyme A, etc. and are essential
for many metabolic processes.

Table of Content
Nucleotide Structure

Nucleotides vs Nucleosides

Nitrogenous Bases

Nucleotide Function

Nucleotide Structure – What

does a nucleotide look like?
A nucleotide consists of three units, which are
covalently linked. They are:

1. Nitrogenous bases – Purine and Pyrimidine

2. Pentose Sugar – Ribose and Deoxyribose

3. Phosphate – monophosphate,
diphosphate, triphosphate

1. Nitrogenous Base: They comprise pyrimidine

or purine base. DNA contains adenine (A),
guanine (G), cytosine (C) and thymine (T)
whereas RNA contains adenine, guanine,
cytosine and uracil (U).

2. Sugar: A nucleotide comprises a pentose

sugar. DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid) contains
deoxyribose sugar and RNA (Ribonucleic acid)
contains a ribose sugar.

A Nitrogenous base attached with the sugar is

called “Nucleoside”.

3. Phosphate: Phosphate is associated with the

sugar of nucleoside by an ester bond with the
5thC hydroxyl group. Nucleotides at least
contain one phosphate group.

Phosphate of one nucleotide attaches to the 3rd

C-OH group of the sugar of the 2nd nucleotide,
thereby forming 5’ 3’ linkage.

In DNA (double helix) there are two antiparallel

strands of polynucleotides that are linked
together by hydrogen bonds between
nitrogenous bases. Purine pairs with pyrimidine
base, A pairs with T and G pairs with C by two
and three hydrogen bonds respectively.

In RNA instead of thymine (T), A pairs with U.

Phosphate group interlinks the sugar molecules

of two nucleotides forming a chain. DNA and
RNA are polynucleotides. Sugar phosphate
chain forms the backbone of a polynucleotide
chain.

When the phosphate group attaches to the

hydroxyl group of the same sugar, it forms cyclic
nucleotide, they are present as a single
monomer, e.g. cAMP, cGMP used in intracellular
signal transduction processes.

Also see:

Double Helix Structure of DNA

DNA Polymerase Function

DNA structure MCQs for NEET

How do nucleotides and

nucleosides differ?
Nucleoside = Nitrogenous base + Sugar

Nucleosides are named as Adenosine,

Guanosine, Thymidine, Cytidine, Uridine

Nucleotide = Nucleoside + Phosphate

Nucleotides are named as Adenylic acid,

Guanylic acid, Thymidylic acid, Cytidylic acid
and Uridylic acid.

Nucleotides are also named as nucleoside

mono, di or triphosphate, based on the number
of phosphate groups attached to it, e.g.
Adenosine monophosphate (AMP), Adenosine
diphosphate (ADP) or Adenosine triphosphate
(ATP).

DNA and RNA only contain nucleotides.

Other than polynucleotide chain of DNA and

RNA, nucleotides are present in the body in
various forms and are essential for life, e.g. ATP,
cAMP, NAD+, NADP+, FAD, coenzyme A, etc.

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP): ATP is the

energy currency of the cell. The energy required
for metabolic processes is derived from ATP. It
also acts as a coenzyme and is a precursor of
DNA and RNA synthesis.

ATP Structure (Adenosine triphosphate)

Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP):

cAMP acts as a secondary messenger and used
in signal transduction. It plays an important role
in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism.

cAMP (3’,5’-cyclic adenosine monophosphate)

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD): NAD

is a dinucleotide. It contains two nucleotides
joined by phosphate groups. One of the
nucleotides contains adenine base and the
other nucleotide has nicotinamide. They play an
important role in metabolic processes and act
as an electron carrier. They exist in two forms,
oxidised NAD+ and reduced NADH.

Similarly, NADP+ (NADPH) is also a cofactor used

in the Calvin cycle and other anabolic
processes.

The FAD is an adenine dinucleotide, which acts

as a coenzyme and plays a key role in many
enzymatic reactions.

Nitrogenous Bases – Structure of

Adenine, Guanine, Thymine,
Cytosine, Uracil
There are five nitrogenous bases, namely
Adenine, Guanine, Thymine, Cytosine and Uracil.
They are nitrogen containing compounds that
form an important part of the genetic code. The
structures and description of the five
nitrogenous bases are jotted below.

Adenine Structure: Adenine is a purine

derivative that is made up of two nitrogen
containing rings. It forms a double bond
with thymine in the nucleotide structure.

Guanine Structure: Guanine is again, a

purine derivative that is made up of two
nitrogen containing rings. It forms a triple
bond with cytosine in the nucleotide
structure.

Thymine Structure: Thymine is a

pyrimidine derivative that is made up of a
single ring containing nitrogen. It is also
known as 5-methyluracil.

Cytosine Structure: Cytosine, like thymine,

is a pyrimidine derivative that is made up
of an aromatic ring attached with an
amino and keto group.

Uracil Structure: Uracil is also a pyrimidine

derivative that can also be thought of as a
demethylated form of thymine.

Nitrog Repres Chemic

Complementa
en entatio al
ry base in DNA
base n formula

Adeni
A Thymine C5H5N5
ne

Guani C5H5N5
G Cytosine
ne O

Thymi C5H6N2
T Adenine
ne O2

Cytosi C4H4N3
C Guanine
ne O

Nucleotide Function
Nucleotides are the building block of DNA
and RNA. They contain genetic information

Nucleotides act as coenzymes, which are

required to catalyse many biochemical
reactions by enzymes

Energy is stored in our body as ATP. When

there is a need for the energy they get
converted to ADP or AMP. ATP also acts as
a coenzyme

NAD, NADP has an essential role to play in

many redox reactions, they act as an
electron carrier

cAMP helps in transporting chemical

signals and metabolic regulation

Biological importance of
Nucleotides
Forms the constituents of DNA and RNA –
They serve as building blocks of nucleic
acids and are the carriers of activated
metabolites for the process of
biosynthesis

Involved in storing chemical energy

Required for DNA replication and RNA

transcription in stages that rapidly divide

Provides cellular energy sources and other

metabolic functions

Required for chemical associations in the

response of cells to the hormones and
other extracellular stimuli

Serve as structural components of enzyme

cofactors and other metabolic
intermediates

Also check:

NEET Questions on Human Reproduction

Flashcards Of Biology For NEET Human

Reproduction

Important Notes Of Biology For Human

Reproduction

Frequently Asked Questions on

Nucleotides

Q1 What is adenine?

Adenine is a purine derivative. It is one of the four

nucleotide bases in DNA. The others are guanine
(G), cytosine (C), thymine (T).

Q2 What is the IUPAC name of Thymine?

IUPAC name of thymine is 5-methyl-1H-

pyrimidine-2,4-dione.

Q3 Where are nucleotides found?

Nucleotides are the fundamental blocks of nucleic

acids – DNA and RNA. It comprises sugar
molecule attached to a phosphate group and a
base which contains nitrogen. In DNA, the bases
used are adenine, cytosine, thymine and guanine.

Test your Knowledge on

Nucleotide!

Put your understanding

of this concept to test
by answering a few
MCQs. Click ‘Start Quiz’
to begin!

Select the correct answer and click on

the “Finish” button
Check your score and answers at the
end of the quiz

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