Consider the sequence 3'-ACGCTACGTC-5'.

What is the total number of covalent bonds joining the nucleotides in each strand?

Key Concepts

Covalent Bonds in Nucleotides

Covalent bonds in nucleotides are formed between the phosphate group of one nucleotide and the sugar of the next nucleotide, creating a sugar-phosphate backbone. Each nucleotide in a strand is linked to its neighbor through these bonds, which are essential for maintaining the structural integrity of the DNA or RNA molecule.

Nucleotide Structure

A nucleotide consists of three components: a phosphate group, a five-carbon sugar (deoxyribose in DNA or ribose in RNA), and a nitrogenous base. The arrangement of these components determines the identity of the nucleotide and its role in forming the genetic code. Understanding the structure helps in visualizing how nucleotides connect to form strands.

Strand Orientation

DNA and RNA strands have directionality, indicated as 5' to 3' and 3' to 5'. The numbers refer to the carbon atoms in the sugar molecule. In the given sequence, the 3' end of one nucleotide connects to the 5' end of the next, influencing how nucleotides are counted when determining the number of covalent bonds in a strand.