Final answer:
Nucleic acids such as DNA and RNA are composed of nucleotides and are essential for storing genetic information, guiding cell division, and directing protein synthesis.
Step-by-step explanation:
Nucleic acids, composed of nucleotides, play a crucial role in the continuity of life, carrying the genetic blueprint of a cell and instructions for its functioning. They are key macromolecules in cellular activities such as cell division and protein synthesis. Nucleic acids include DNA, which contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms and some viruses, and RNA, which plays a vital role in the synthesis of proteins as well as its regulation. DNA is composed of two antiparallel strands forming a double helix, while RNA is single-stranded. The monomers that make up these nucleic acids, nucleotides, consist of a pentose sugar (deoxyribose in DNA and ribose in RNA), a phosphate group, and one of four nitrogenous bases (adenine, cytosine, guanine, and either thymine in DNA or uracil in RNA).