Which of the following refers to an organic base that contains nitrogen and is a subunit of a nucleotide?

Which of the following refers to an organic base that contains nitrogen and is a subunit of a nucleotide?

• A. Sugar
• B. Phosphate
• C. Nitrogenous base
• D. Amino acid

Answer: (C)

The term that refers to an organic base containing nitrogen and acting as a subunit of a nucleotide is known as a nitrogenous base. In the structure of nucleotides, which are the building blocks of nucleic acids like DNA and RNA, nitrogenous bases play a crucial role in the encoding of genetic information. These bases include adenine, thymine (or uracil in RNA), cytosine, and guanine. Each nucleotide is formed by a nitrogenous base, a sugar molecule, and a phosphate group, making the nitrogenous base a fundamental component of the nucleotide structure that interacts with other nucleotides to form the genetic code. Other components mentioned in the options, such as sugar and phosphate, are critical parts of a nucleotide but do not contain nitrogen or function as bases. Amino acids, although they are organic compounds and building blocks of proteins, are distinct from nucleotides and do not play a role in the formation of nucleic acids. Thus, the nitrogenous base is the specific term that accurately captures the role described in the question.

The term that refers to an organic base containing nitrogen and acting as a subunit of a nucleotide is known as a nitrogenous base. In the structure of nucleotides, which are the building blocks of nucleic acids like DNA and RNA, nitrogenous bases play a crucial role in the encoding of genetic information. These bases include adenine, thymine (or uracil in RNA), cytosine, and guanine. Each nucleotide is formed by a nitrogenous base, a sugar molecule, and a phosphate group, making the nitrogenous base a fundamental component of the nucleotide structure that interacts with other nucleotides to form the genetic code.

Other components mentioned in the options, such as sugar and phosphate, are critical parts of a nucleotide but do not contain nitrogen or function as bases. Amino acids, although they are organic compounds and building blocks of proteins, are distinct from nucleotides and do not play a role in the formation of nucleic acids. Thus, the nitrogenous base is the specific term that accurately captures the role described in the question.