Final answer:
The building blocks of DNA are nucleotides, which consist of a nitrogenous base, deoxyribose sugar, and a phosphate group. These nucleotides form the genetic code and are crucial to heredity and protein synthesis. In the primary structure of DNA, the sequential order of nucleotides encodes vital genetic information.
Step-by-step explanation:
The building blocks of DNA are called nucleotides. These nucleotides are essential components of the nucleic acids that make up DNA, which is crucial for protein synthesis and genetic inheritance. Each nucleotide consists of three parts: a nitrogenous base, a five-carbon sugar (deoxyribose), and a phosphate group. The nitrogenous base can be either a purine, such as adenine (A) and guanine (G), or a pyrimidine, such as cytosine (C) and thymine (T). Together, these bases compose the genetic code that determines the characteristics that are passed from parents to offspring.
Nucleic acids, like DNA and RNA, are built from these nucleotides. DNA consists of two long strands of nucleotides that form a double helix structure. In the structure of DNA, the sugar and phosphate of each nucleotide bond to form the backbone of the DNA strand, while complementary bases pair to stabilize the double helix.
Primary Structure of Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA)
The primary structure of DNA refers to the sequence of nucleotides in each strand. This sequence encodes the genetic information necessary for protein synthesis and hereditary inheritance. In cells, DNA undergoes transcription to create RNA, which then translates the genetic code into proteins. The structure and function of these proteins determine an organism's traits and characteristics.