What are the building blocks of DNA called?

Nucleotides are the fundamental building blocks of DNA. Each nucleotide consists of three components: a phosphate group, a sugar molecule (specifically deoxyribose in the case of DNA), and a nitrogenous base (which can be adenine, thymine, cytosine, or guanine). These nucleotides connect in long chains to form the DNA molecule, with the specific sequence of the nitrogenous bases encoding genetic information.

Understanding that DNA is composed of nucleotides is essential for grasping concepts in genetics, molecular biology, and biochemistry, as these building blocks play a critical role in the processes of replication and transcription. Other options like amino acids, proteins, and carbohydrates do not serve as the structural components of DNA, thus reinforcing that nucleotides are specifically linked to the formation and function of DNA.