Identify the base and sugar in each of the following nucleotides:
a. dTMP

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the structure of nucleotides: Nucleotides consist of three components: a nitrogenous base, a sugar, and a phosphate group. In this problem, we are identifying the base and sugar in dTMP.
2. Recognize the abbreviation 'dTMP': It stands for deoxythymidine monophosphate. The 'd' indicates that the sugar is deoxyribose, and 'TMP' refers to thymidine monophosphate, which includes the base thymine.
3. Identify the sugar: The 'd' prefix specifies that the sugar is deoxyribose, which is a five-carbon sugar missing an oxygen atom at the 2' position compared to ribose.
4. Identify the base: The 'T' in 'dTMP' stands for thymine, which is one of the pyrimidine bases found in DNA.
5. Combine the information: The nucleotide dTMP consists of the base thymine and the sugar deoxyribose.

Key Concepts

Nucleotides

Nucleotides are the building blocks of nucleic acids, such as DNA and RNA. Each nucleotide consists of three components: a nitrogenous base, a five-carbon sugar, and one or more phosphate groups. The specific arrangement of these components determines the nucleotide's identity and function within the genetic material.

Nitrogenous Bases

Nitrogenous bases are organic molecules that contain nitrogen and are essential for the structure of nucleotides. In DNA, the primary bases are adenine (A), thymine (T), cytosine (C), and guanine (G). In the case of dTMP, the base is thymine, which pairs with adenine in the DNA double helix.

Pentose Sugar

The pentose sugar in nucleotides is a five-carbon sugar that can be either ribose or deoxyribose. In DNA, the sugar is deoxyribose, which lacks one oxygen atom compared to ribose. In dTMP, the sugar component is deoxyribose, which is crucial for the stability and structure of DNA.