nucleotide Definition
- 1a compound consisting of a nucleoside linked to a phosphate group. Nucleotides form the basic structural unit of nucleic acids such as DNA.
- 2any of several compounds that consist of a ribose or deoxyribose sugar joined to a purine or pyrimidine base and to a phosphate group and that are the basic structural units of nucleic acids (such as RNA and DNA)
Using nucleotide: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "nucleotide" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The nucleotide sequence of DNA determines the genetic code.
Example
The structure of a nucleotide consists of a nitrogenous base, a five-carbon sugar, and a phosphate group.
Example
Adenine, guanine, cytosine, and thymine are the four types of nucleotides found in DNA.
nucleotide Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms for nucleotide
Phrases with nucleotide
a mechanism that repairs DNA damage caused by ultraviolet light exposure
Example
Nucleotide excision repair is one of the most important mechanisms for repairing DNA damage.
a type of mutation that involves the replacement of one nucleotide with another in a DNA sequence
Example
A nucleotide substitution can lead to a change in the amino acid sequence of a protein.
a compound that is structurally similar to a nucleotide and can be incorporated into DNA or RNA, leading to errors in replication or transcription
Example
Some antiviral drugs work by acting as nucleotide analogs and inhibiting viral replication.
Origins of nucleotide
from nucleo- 'nucleus' + -ide, on the pattern of words such as 'phosphate'
Summary: nucleotide in Brief
A 'nucleotide' [ˈnjuːklɪətaɪd] is a compound consisting of a nucleoside linked to a phosphate group. It is the basic structural unit of nucleic acids such as DNA and RNA. The structure of a nucleotide consists of a nitrogenous base, a five-carbon sugar, and a phosphate group. Examples of nucleotides include adenine, guanine, cytosine, and thymine.
