The Backbone of Nucleic Acids Consists Of

Question

The backbone of nucleic acids consists of
A) a phosphodiester bond between the 2' and 5' hydroxyl groups of neighboring sugars
B) a phosphodiester bond between the 3' and 5' hydroxyl groups of neighboring sugars
C) a glycosidic bond between a pyrimidine and a sugar
D) a glycosidic bond between a purine and a sugar

Accepted Answer

The backbone of nucleic acids consists of a repeating pattern of sugar and phosphate units. The phosphate group in each unit is attached to the 3' and 5' hydroxyl groups of neighboring sugars via phosphodiester bonds, forming a linear chain. Therefore, the correct choice is B, which states that the phosphodiester bond is between the 3' and 5' hydroxyl groups of neighboring sugars.