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A nucleotide consists of three components: a pentose sugar (five-carbon sugar), a nitrogenous base, and a phosphate group. The nitrogenous base attaches to carbon-1 of the sugar, while the phosphate group attaches to carbon-5. These three parts combine to form the basic building block of DNA and RNA.

DNA contains deoxyribose sugar with a hydrogen atom at carbon-2, while RNA contains ribose sugar with a hydroxyl group at carbon-2. Both share adenine, guanine, and cytosine bases, but DNA contains thymine whereas RNA contains uracil instead. These structural differences affect their stability and function in the cell.

DNA strands are held together by multiple intermolecular forces including hydrogen bonds between complementary nitrogenous bases, van der Waals interactions, and hydrophobic effects. Adenine pairs with thymine using two hydrogen bonds, while guanine pairs with cytosine using three hydrogen bonds. These forces maintain the double helix structure while allowing strand separation when needed.

Nucleotides are linked by phosphodiester linkages, where the phosphate group attached to carbon-5 of one nucleotide bonds to the hydroxyl group on carbon-3 of the next nucleotide. This creates a sugar-phosphate backbone with an unattached 5' end containing a free phosphate and a 3' end with a free hydroxyl group.

Purines, including adenine and guanine, have a double carbon-nitrogen ring structure. Pyrimidines, including cytosine, thymine, and uracil, have a single carbon-nitrogen ring structure. Both types contain an amino group that makes them basic, and they serve as the nitrogenous bases in nucleotides.

DNA strands are antiparallel because they run in opposite directions: the 5' end of one strand pairs with the 3' end of the complementary strand. This orientation is maintained by the complementary base pairing rules, where adenine pairs with thymine and guanine pairs with cytosine, creating a stable double helix structure.

RNA is typically single-stranded, unlike the double-stranded DNA. However, RNA can form secondary structures through intramolecular base pairing between complementary sequences within the same molecule, creating distinct three-dimensional shapes essential for its function. RNA can also bind to complementary RNA or DNA strands when needed.