Nucleotide

A nucleotide is an organic molecule made of a nitrogenous base, a five-carbon sugar, and one or more phosphate groups. Nucleotides form DNA and RNA and also serve in energy transfer and cell signaling.

Nitrogenous base: A nitrogen-containing molecule that forms part of nucleotides and can pair with another base in nucleic acids. The base distinguishes nucleotide types and determines complementary pairing in DNA and RNA.
Phosphodiester bond: A covalent bond linking the sugar of one nucleotide to the phosphate of another. These bonds join nucleotides into the sugar-phosphate backbone of DNA and RNA.
GTP: A guanine nucleotide that supplies energy in protein synthesis and regulates signaling proteins. GTP demonstrates nucleotide roles in translation and molecular switches.
Nucleic acid: A polymer, such as DNA or RNA, made of nucleotide units. Nucleotides are its individual building blocks rather than the completed genetic polymer.
Ribose: A five-carbon sugar found in RNA nucleotides and several cellular molecules. Its presence marks RNA nucleotides and distinguishes them from DNA building blocks.
Polymerization: A chemical process that joins small molecules into larger chains or networks. Nucleic acid synthesis is polymerization of nucleotide building blocks.
Cyclic AMP: A cyclic nucleotide that acts as an intracellular second messenger. This nucleotide derivative relays signals from cell-surface receptors.
Nucleoside triphosphate: A nucleoside carrying three phosphate groups, commonly used as a substrate in nucleic-acid synthesis. This specific nucleotide form is the activated substrate used to extend DNA and RNA chains.
Deoxyribose: A five-carbon sugar in DNA with one fewer oxygen atom than ribose. This sugar gives DNA nucleotides their defining chemical difference from RNA nucleotides.
DNA replication: The cellular process that copies DNA before cell division. DNA polymerases select and join nucleotides to make complementary DNA strands.

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