What is the role of nucleotides in DNA?

Nucleotides play a crucial role in the structure and function of DNA by encoding genetic information. Each nucleotide consists of three components: a phosphate group, a sugar, and a nitrogenous base. The sequence of these nitrogenous bases (adenine, thymine, cytosine, and guanine) along the DNA strand is what carries the genetic code. This sequence determines the instructions for building proteins, which are essential for the development, functioning, and reproduction of all living organisms.

While nucleotides are important for other processes in the cell, such as providing energy (which is more closely associated with ATP, a specific nucleotide), their primary function in the context of DNA specifically revolves around encoding genetic information. This information directs the synthesis of amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins, but it is the sequence of nucleotides that ultimately dictates how these amino acids will be arranged during protein synthesis.