What type of reaction occurs to covalently bond nucleotides

Subject : Chemistry

Question:

What type of reaction occurs to covalently bond nucleotides.

Expert Verified Solution:

The type of reaction that occurs to covalently bond nucleotides together is called dehydration synthesis (also known as a condensation reaction). During this reaction, a water molecule is removed (hence the term “dehydration”) as the phosphate group of one nucleotide bonds to the hydroxyl group on the sugar of another nucleotide. This forms a phosphodiester bond between the nucleotides, linking them together in a long chain to create the sugar-phosphate backbone of DNA or RNA.

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