Deoxynucleotide

DEFINITION

A deoxynucleotide in biological terms is a component of deoxyribonucleic acid, DNA. A deoxynucleotide is made up of an organic base, a ribose sugar and phosphate. DNA polymerase requires deoxynucleotides in their triphosphate (containing three phosphates) form in order for DNA synthesis to take place[1]. The 4 triphosphates (dNTPs) are ATP, CTP, GTP and TTP, one for each organise base – adenine, cytosine, guanine and thymine relatively.

TRIPHOSPHATES

Deoxynucletodie triphosphates are an essential component of nuelic acid molecules and are required in PCR (polymerase chain reaction), a technique used in genetics that analyses a short sequence of DNA and used to amplify sections of DNA that are wanted and required [2]. No amplified DNA would be able to be made without dNTPs.[3]

[1] groups.molbiosci.northwestern.edu/holmgren/Glossary/Definitions/Def-D/deoxynucleotide.html

[2] www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp

[3] link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-4020-6241-4_6