Nucleic acids are polymers made of what building blocks?

• A. Nucleotides
• B. Amino acids
• C. Fatty acids
• D. Monosaccharides

Answer: (A)

Nucleic acids are polymers built from repeating units called nucleotides. Each nucleotide contains a sugar (deoxyribose in DNA or ribose in RNA), a phosphate, and a nitrogenous base. Nucleotides link together via phosphodiester bonds to form long chains that store and transmit genetic information. This is distinct from other biomolecules: proteins are made from amino acids, lipids from fatty acids, and carbohydrates from monosaccharides. So the building blocks are nucleotides.