Also show the enzyme and hemoglobin structures. The structure of proteins is important to their function. They also serve as messengers between the nucleus and the rest of the cell. Nucleic acids are composed of smaller building units called nucleotides. Nucleotides consist of a five-carbon sugar, phosphate group and a nitrogen containing base.
Drawing shows ribose sugar.
DNA contains deoxyribose which lacks bottom oxygen. They are bonded together so that the sugar of one nucleotide is bonded to the phosphate of the next nucleotide. This creates long chains with nitrogen bases as side groups off the chain. It is the sequence of nucleotides which holds the genetic code. DNA molecules have a helical structure with two chains side by side, and held together by hydrogen bonds.