Difference Between Nucleotide and Nucleoside

Nucleotide 

DNA and RNA's building blocks are nucleotides, which are the molecules responsible for storing and transmitting genetic information in living organisms. Its composition is a nitrogenous base, a five-carbon sugar, and a phosphate group. The nitrogenous base in nucleotides can be either a purine (adenine or guanine) or a pyrimidine (cytosine, uracil, or thymine).  The five-carbon sugar in nucleotides is either ribose (in RNA) or deoxyribose (in DNA). The phosphate group in nucleotides is attached to the 5' carbon of the sugar via a phosphodiester bond. The phosphate group gives nucleotides a negative charge, which makes them hydrophilic and allows them to interact with water. Examples of nucleotides include ATP, GTP, CTP, UTP.

Nucleoside

Nucleosides are similar to nucleotides in that they consist of a nitrogenous base and a five-carbon sugar. However, they do not have a phosphate group attached to the sugar.

The nitrogenous base in nucleosides can be either a purine (adenine or guanine) or a pyrimidine (cytosine, uracil, or thymine). The five-carbon sugar in nucleosides is either ribose (in RNA) or deoxyribose (in DNA). Nucleosides are important because they are the precursors to nucleotides. Examples of nucleosides include adenosine, guanosine, cytidine, thymidine, uracil.

Characteristics of Nucleotide and Nucleoside

Nucleotides and nucleosides are two types of molecules that are important for building DNA and RNA. Here are some characteristics of each:

Nucleotides:

• Composition is a nitrogenous base, a sugar, and one or more phosphate groups.

• Are the building blocks of DNA and RNA.

• Play important roles in processes like DNA replication, RNA transcription and translation.

• Can be modified to carry energy or information in the form of phosphate groups.

Nucleosides:

• Consist of a nitrogenous base and sugar, but no phosphate groups.

• Are precursors to nucleotides.

• Play roles in DNA repair, RNA processing, and other cell processes.

• Can be modified to carry energy or information in the form of sugar modifications.

Nucleotide and Nucleoside Difference 

The table presented below highlights the main differences between Nucleotide and Nucleoside.

Summary

Nucleotides are molecules that consist of a nitrogenous base, a five-carbon sugar, and one or more phosphate groups, while nucleosides are molecules that consist of a nitrogenous base and a five-carbon sugar. Nucleotides are the building blocks of DNA and RNA, and they play a role in DNA replication, RNA transcription, and translation, energy transfer etc. Nucleosides are precursors to nucleotides, and they play a role in DNA repair, RNA processing etc. Nucleotides contain one or more phosphate groups attached to the 5' carbon of the sugar via phosphodiester bonds, while nucleosides do not have a phosphate group attached to the sugar.