Final answer:
Each nucleotide is joined to the next by a phosphodiester bond, which serves to create the sugar-phosphate backbone of both RNA and DNA. This bond is crucial for the structural formation of nucleic acid chains, contributing to the overall stability and integrity of the genetic material.
Step-by-step explanation:
Each nucleotide is joined to the next by a phosphodiester bond, which is the same bond in both RNA and DNA. Nucleotides are linked together by phosphodiester bonds between the 5' phosphate group of one nucleotide and the 3' hydroxyl group of another. This bond formation is a key aspect of the primary structure of nucleic acids.
In the nucleic acid structure, the phosphodiester bond forms through a dehydration synthesis reaction, which involves the removal of a water molecule. Specifically, a hydroxyl group is removed from the 3' carbon of one nucleotide while a hydrogen atom is removed from the hydroxyl group attached to the 5' carbon of the neighboring nucleotide, resulting in the phosphodiester linkage that constitutes the backbone of DNA or RNA.
The consistent presence of phosphodiester bonds in both DNA and RNA is crucial for the formation of the sugar-phosphate backbone, which provides structural stability and directionality to the nucleic acid chains, with a free phosphate group at the 5' end and a free hydroxyl group at the 3' end. The double helix model of DNA relies on these bonds to maintain the two complementary strands in appropriate alignment through interactions with the nitrogenous bases.