describe how two nucleotides are linked to form a single strand of dna in order for the strand to have 5 prime to 3 prime orientation

Answer 1

In DNA, nucleotides are linked by a phosphodiester bond which forms between the phosphate group of one nucleotide and the sugar group of the next nucleotide. The sugar group in DNA is a deoxyribose molecule, which contains a 3' hydroxyl (-OH) group and a 5' phosphate group (-PO4).

To form a single strand of DNA with a 5' to 3' orientation, the 5' phosphate group of one nucleotide must be linked to the 3' hydroxyl group of the next nucleotide. This linkage occurs through a condensation reaction, which involves the removal of a water molecule (-H2O) from the two nucleotide subunits, resulting in the formation of a phosphodiester bond between them.

Specifically, the 3' hydroxyl group of the sugar in the first nucleotide (the 5' end) will react with the phosphate group of the second nucleotide, resulting in a covalent bond between the 3' carbon of the first nucleotide and the 5' carbon of the second nucleotide. This process is repeated for each successive nucleotide, resulting in a long chain of nucleotides linked by phosphodiester bonds. The resulting DNA strand will have a 5' end with an available phosphate group and a 3' end with an available hydroxyl group, determining its 5' to 3' orientation.