Question

Why is DNA called deoxyribonucleic acid?

Answer 1

DNA is called deoxyribonucleic acid because:

1. Because of its structure, DNA is commonly referred to as deoxyribonucleic acid.
2. The nucleic acid has a phosphate backbone with bases such as adenine, cytosine, guanine, and thymine, while the deoxyribose portion contains pentose sugar.
3. The -OH group at position two of the sugar ring is absent in deoxyribose.
4. DNA is made up of two strands called helixes.
5. Deoxyribose is a sugar ring that lacks an OH-group at position 2; the term literally means "without oxygen."