What is the structural unit that makes up nucleic acids?

Nucleic acids, which include DNA and RNA, are composed of structural units known as nucleotides. Nucleotides are the building blocks of nucleic acids and are made up of three components: a phosphate group, a five-carbon sugar (deoxyribose in DNA and ribose in RNA), and a nitrogenous base (which can be adenine, thymine, cytosine, guanine, or uracil). The specific sequence of nucleotides in a nucleic acid encodes genetic information, and the structure of nucleotides allows them to link together via covalent bonds, forming long chains that constitute the nucleic acid molecule.

In contrast, amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, fatty acids are components of lipids, and monosaccharides are the simplest forms of carbohydrates. Each of these components plays a distinct role in biological molecules, but they do not constitute the structural unit of nucleic acids. Understanding the fundamental role of nucleotides in the structure and function of nucleic acids is crucial for grasping the principles of molecular biology and genetics.