Which of the following is a component of nucleotides?

• A. Fatty acids
• B. Amino acids
• C. 5-carbon sugar
• D. Monosaccharides

Answer: (C)

Nucleotides are the basic building blocks of nucleic acids, such as DNA and RNA. Each nucleotide consists of three main components: a nitrogenous base, a phosphate group, and a 5-carbon sugar. The 5-carbon sugar can either be ribose in RNA or deoxyribose in DNA. This structural feature is crucial, as the sugar provides the backbone for the nucleic acid strands and connects with the phosphate and nitrogenous bases to form the overall nucleotide structure.

Understanding the role of the 5-carbon sugar within nucleotides helps clarify why this option is essential while other components like fatty acids, amino acids, and monosaccharides do not fit within the context of nucleotide composition. Fatty acids are components of lipids, amino acids serve as the building blocks of proteins, and monosaccharides are simple sugars; none of these partake in forming the structure of nucleotides. Thus, recognizing the significance of the 5-carbon sugar solidifies one's grasp of molecular biology and the foundations of genetics.