Nucleoside: In contrast

In contrast, a nucleotide is a nucleoside with a phosphate group attached to ribose sugar through a phosphodiester bond. Difference between Nucleotide and Nucleoside To understand the difference between a nucleoside and a nucleotide, we need to understand the basic components of these structures. Nucleosides have a nitrogenous base and a five-carbon carbohydrate group, usually a ribose molecule (see Chapter 2). Nucleotides are simply a nucleoside with one or more phosphate groups attached (Figure 4-1). The resulting molecule is found in ribonucleic acid or RNA. If one hydroxyl (OH) group has been removed from the ribose, the deoxy versions of the nucleoside and nucleotide form the building blocks of deoxyribonucleic acid or DNA (Figure 4-1). Each component of nucleosides and ... A nucleoside is a structural subunit of nucleic acids, the heredity-controlling components of all living cells, that consists of a sugar molecule linked to a nitrogen-containing organic ring compound. Learn the key differences between nucleotide and nucleoside, two building blocks of nucleic acid. Nucleotide has a phosphate group, sugar and a base, while nucleoside has only sugar and a base.