What sugar is found in the nucleotides of DNA?

In DNA, the sugar present in its nucleotides is D-deoxyribose. This five-carbon sugar is a key component of the DNA backbone, linking the phosphate groups and nitrogenous bases together through phosphodiester bonds. D-deoxyribose differs from ribose, the sugar found in RNA, by lacking one oxygen atom at the second carbon position, which is why it is referred to as "deoxy" (meaning "without oxygen"). The unique structure of D-deoxyribose is essential for the stability and function of DNA, enabling the formation of the double helix structure that is vital for genetic information storage and transmission.

The other sugars listed do not serve as building blocks in DNA: D-ribose is used in RNA, D-glucose is a fundamental energy source and structural sugar in various organisms, and sucrose is a disaccharide made of glucose and fructose, which is involved in plant metabolism and energy transport but does not have a role in forming nucleotides of DNA.