Question

What type of reaction covalently bonds the components of a nucleotide together?

Answer 1

Nucleotide is made by three types of molecules:

(1) A sugar (deoxyribose in DNA and ribose in RNA)

(2) A phosphate group and

(3) Heterocyclic bases (ring compounds whose rings are made up of both carbon and nitrogen)

The nucleotides then join together by covalent chemical bonds between the sugar of one nucleotide to the phosphate group of the next forming polynucleotide chain.

There are four reactions which can be possible:

• When one nucleotide joins another nucleotide a condensation reaction takes place whereby a molecule of water is removed.
• Reactions that involve the above are more generally known as polymerisations reactions.
• The bonds between the sugar of one nucleotide to the phosphate group of the next forming polynucleotide chain are known as phosphodiester bonds.
• When joining two strands of DNA or RNA together, the process is carried out by ligase, enzyme so it is ligation.