Which component of nucleic acids is responsible for storage and expression of genetic information?

• A. Amino acids
• B. Fatty acids
• C. Nucleotides
• D. Monosaccharides

Answer: (C)

Nucleotides are the fundamental building blocks of nucleic acids, such as DNA and RNA, which play crucial roles in both the storage and expression of genetic information. Each nucleotide is composed of three components: a phosphate group, a sugar molecule, and a nitrogenous base. The sequence of these nitrogenous bases encodes the genetic information necessary for the synthesis of proteins, which are vital for the structure and function of cells.

In DNA, the arrangement of nucleotides determines the instructions for building proteins, while in RNA, the nucleotides facilitate the process of converting those instructions into protein. This storage of information in the form of sequences of nucleotides and the ability to express that information during protein synthesis is why nucleotides are directly responsible for genetic information management.

The other components, such as amino acids, fatty acids, and monosaccharides, play different roles in biological systems. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, fatty acids are key components of lipids, and monosaccharides are the simplest forms of carbohydrates. These components do not directly involve the storage or expression of genetic instructions, which underscores the unique function of nucleotides in heredity and gene expression.