What are the basic building blocks of DNA?

The basic building blocks of DNA are nucleotides. Each nucleotide is composed of three components: a phosphate group, a deoxyribose sugar, and one of four nitrogenous bases (adenine, thymine, cytosine, or guanine). These nucleotides link together through phosphodiester bonds to form the long chains that create the DNA double helix structure.

Understanding the structure of nucleotides is essential because they hold the genetic information required for building proteins and regulating cellular functions through the processes of replication and transcription. The sequence of these nucleotides encodes the instructions needed for the growth, development, and maintenance of living organisms.