The Building Blocks of Nucleic Acids: Adenosine Triphosphate, Draw the building block of nucleic acids. What is it called? What type of reaction happens when 2 of these building blocks join together? What is lost from the molecules?

The Building Blocks of Nucleic Acids: Adenosine Triphosphate

Nucleic acids are essential for life, playing a vital role in the growth, development, and reproduction of all living things. They are made up of four components: adenine, guanine, cytosine, and thymine. However, the building block of nucleic acids is adenosine triphosphate, also known as ATP. ATP is a nucleotide consisting of a base (adenine), a five-carbon sugar (ribose), and three phosphate groups. This molecule is an energy-carrying molecule that helps to power the reactions within the cell. Without ATP, these reactions would not be able to occur (Dhiman, 2019). ATP is produced in two ways. Firstly, it is produced through cellular respiration in the mitochondria of cells. This involves the breakdown of glucose and other molecules to release energy. Secondly, it is produced through photosynthesis in plants. This occurs when sunlight is absorbed by chlorophyll and used to convert carbon dioxide and water into sugars and other molecules. These molecules are then converted into ATP (Bolaños and Goñi, 2020). Cont….